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Chapter Text

Giyuu Tomioka was a lonely Hashira. He was quiet, and he had barely any friends. He kept to himself, and no one knew why. As an outsider without the full story, it would be hard to dislike him. The other Hashira, however, were a different story.

The other Hashira had known Giyuu for a while, some going on four or five years. It didn't matter how long they had known the quiet man, the others all knew the same thing. Giyuu was an arrogant asshole who thought he was better than everyone.

"He thinks he's better than us!"

"What a dick. He doesn't even try to hide these emotions."

"I don't usually talk bad about people, but he was a little rude. He barely spoke to me."

"The only flashy thing about him is his haori, which is still kind of bland."

"Who?"

"I shall pray to the gods he is okay mentally."

"He's so rude, never responding to anyone. I guess that's why he has no friends."

"I don't think he wants to be our friend! He would talk to us if he did!"

The other Hashira thought the same thing, though some had a nicer approach than others. But, none of them had the full story either.

Giyuu sighed quietly as he walked past the other Hashira. He was close enough to hear the conversation, but he was also far enough no one noticed him.

The quiet Water Hashira didn't like the fact that's how the others saw him. But, at the same time, it was none of their business what Giyuu had gone through as a child.

Giyuu tried not to care about the other's opinions, but he couldn't help it. They always got to him in the end, and that was something Giyuu hated about himself. He can never let go.

The man sighed again, as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Why couldn't he let go? He can't let go of anything. He hasn't let go of the deaths of his sister and best friend, and he can't let go of the cruel things the other Hashira say.

The thoughts were still flooding Giyuu's brain when he noticed a pretty cherry tree. He decided to sit against its trunk, almost immediately bringing his knees to his chest. Another tear fell as Giyuu looked at the ground.

He didn't like to think he was truly alone without friends. Giyuu had Tanjiro, Nezuko, and their two friends that came around every now and then. Still, they barely speak unless they accidentally bump into each other.

It wasn't long until occasional tears turned into a constant stream.

Who was he kidding? The other Hashira were right. They were always right. Giyuu was just a loner who avoided everyone like they were the plague. No one would want to be friends with someone like that.

Giyuu's body turned against him and his tears turned into soft but audible sobs.

The quiet man felt worthless. No one needed him. No one liked him. He didn't deserve to be alive. No. He wasn't even supposed to be alive.

It should have been him. It should have been Giyuu that died. But it wasn't. First, it was his sister, Tsutako. Then, it was Giyuu's beloved friend, Sabito.

Either of them would have been better.

Maybe, if Tsutako had just run away and left Giyuu to die, she would have been able to get married. Maybe, she could be living a happy life with her husband. But, no. She sacrificed herself the day before her wedding, for what? So Giyuu could live his life without her?

Maybe, if Sabito had left Giyuu to fend for himself from the start of Final Selection, he would be the Water Hashira. Sabito could be friends with the other Hashira, and he could be a lot more useful in the mission of exterminating any and all demons. But, no. He sacrificed his life for Giyuu and everyone else in their Final Selection. Why? Didn't he realize he could have been one of the strongest Hashira by now?

Giyuu didn't resent his sister or his friend. Instead, he despised himself. If it weren't for him, they would both still be here. If it weren't for him, they could have lived the lives they deserved.

It was all Giyuu's fault.

Giyuu sat under the tree. He sat there and he cried. He didn't know how long he sat there, but every time he thought the tears had stopped, they fell again. Maybe this was a punishment from the gods. After all, everything was Giyuu's fault.

The Water Hashira was drowning in his sadness. He wanted to curl up and disappear. Maybe he would get eaten by a demon if he sat here long enough.

Suddenly, there were footsteps. They got closer and closer.

Giyuu blinked a few times, finally noticing the feet of whoever approached him. He silently thanked the gods that they didn't belong to Kocho.

Although he had come to his senses, tears still flooded down Giyuu's face. They wouldn't stop. The quiet man felt bad for whoever had to see him in this state.

The person standing in front of this broken man crouched down. Giyuu was surprised when he saw the face of the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui.

The two held eye contact for a few seconds before Giyuu became uncomfortable and looked away. Although, the confused and concerned look on Tengen's face was engraved into Giyuu's brain.

As much as Giyuu hoped he didn't, Tengen reached out to tap the other's shoulder. Accepting his fate, the Water Hashira turned back.

"W-what?" Giyuu asked. He mentally scolded himself for sounding so weak.

"Tomioka... Are you okay?" Tengen was a lot quieter than normal. Perhaps he actually cared? No, that would be impossible. Those words, though. Those words were Giyuu's breaking point. He broke completely, crumbling before a guy he had barely spoken to. Uzui was taken by surprise. "Tomioka!"

Tengen had no idea what to do. He didn't know Giyuu, and Giyuu didn't know him. But, something was wrong.

The conversation Tengen had with the other Hashira flashed in his mind. He heard someone walk past the group, but he didn't think much of it. Maybe it was Giyuu?

Just thinking of how he stooped that low disgusted Tengen. He was even more disgusted with himself for possibly being the reason for such a quiet man's mental breakdown. How could Tengen do this?

More importantly, how was he supposed to deal with this? Tengen couldn't just leave Giyuu alone, so he did the only thing he thought would work. Although it was a risk, seeing as Giyuu isn't one of his wives, it was worth a try.

Tengen placed his knees on the ground and took a deep breath. He reached forward, placed his hands on Giyuu's shoulders, and he pulled the man close.

The action surprised Giyuu, but he didn't push away. His body wouldn't let him. Instead, he gripped the tall man's uniform like his life depended on it.

Giyuu wasn't normally a man to like physical touch. But this. He needed this. He never wanted to let go. For the first time in years, he actually felt safe.

And then it hit him.

Giyuu's breathing slowed, and his tears eventually stopped. The Water Hashira had officially slipped into unconsciousness, burdening Tengen once again.

Chapter Text

Giyuu awoke slowly. Was everything just a dream? Possibly. But, where was he? This wasn't his bedroom.

A woman gasped, catching Giyuu's attention. "Lord Tengen! He's awake, he's awake!"

The damp rag she had been holding was dropped to the floor in an instant. She then ran to Giyuu's side, tears filling her eyes. The woman grabbed Giyuu's arm and pulled him up into a hug.

Giyuu's eyes widened. He had no idea what was going on. At all. "M-ma'am..." His voice was weak.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" the woman cried. "I don't know how I would feel if you died in my house!"

The words concerned Giyuu. This woman reminded him of Tanjiro's friend, Zenitsu. What confused Giyuu the most, though, is why this woman cared so much. He didn't know her.

However, this woman seemed to know Tengen. She knew him well enough to call him by his first name. Were they related by any chance? Suddenly, another woman busted into the room. This woman had yellow and black hair. She also seemed a lot more aggressive.

"Suma, you're overreacting and it's freaking him out!" the new woman yelled. She walked up to the other woman, whose name was apparently Suma, and tried to pull her off of Giyuu.

Suma didn't want to let go. Instead, she hugged Giyuu even tighter, tears flooding down her face. "But, he's alive!"

The other woman got visibly angrier. "He wasn't going to die to begin with!"

"You don't know that!" Sums cried again.

The woman with yellow hair seemed as though she was about to lose it. Before she could, a familiar face entered the room.

"Suma, Makio," the voice spoke. "Calm down, ladies."

The women took their attention off of Giyuu to face the new person. "Lord Tengen!" They seemed to speak at the same time, though Giyuu couldn't tell if that was on purpose or not.

Wait... Tengen. Those women were talking to Tengen. So, it wasn't a dream.

Everything seemed to come back to Giyuu. It all came back in an instant, and he began connecting the dots.

Tengen looked at Giyuu and chuckled. "I'm glad to see you awake, Tomioka."

It took Giyuu a couple of seconds to process the words. Tengen. Was glad to see him? That couldn't be right.

Giyuu tried to speak, but he was only met with a raspy, weak voice. His throat was unbelievably dry, causing him to have a small coughing fit.

Suma looked alarmed, obviously caring for the quiet man's well-being. "Let me get you some water, Sir."

"No need, Suma. I'm one step ahead of you," A new woman walked into the room. She was holding a cup, and she looked like she would be the calmest of the three women in the room. The new character walked up to Giyuu and handed him the cup of water. "Here you go, Sir. Your throat must be dry."

Giyuu gave the woman a small nod, taking the cup gratefully. He immediately started downing the refreshing liquid.

"Thank you, ladies. You all can continue with your days, now," Tengen spoke with a smile. He then looked back at Giyuu. "I would like to have a conversation with Tomioka."

The women looked at each other, then back to Tengen. "Yes, Lord Tengen," they all said in unison. They then walked out of the room, Suma sending her prayers before being hit across the head by Makio.

The guys watched as the girls eventually left the room, Tengen laughing softly at the sight. He turned to look at Giyuu once more. "Sorry if they startled you. Those are my wives. The emotional one is Suma, the more aggressive one is Makio, and the calm one is Hinatsuru."

Giyuu took the last sip of his water and tried to speak again. "W-what happened?"

"Well, I found you at sunset yesterday. You were sitting under a tree crying, and I didn't want to leave you there alone. I didn't know what to do, either, so I tried to comfort you like I would with Suma and gave you a hug... You ended up passing out in my arms, so I brought you home with me," Tengen explained.

A light shade of pink made its way onto Giyuu's face. He was extremely embarrassed and disappointed in himself. He looked away from the tall Hashira in front of him, utterly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Uzui. You didn't have to do this... Thank you for your hospitality."

Giyuu tried to get out of bed, but Tengen was quick to push him back down. "Woah, Tomioka. It wasn't a problem, but I want to make sure you're okay. I don't need you passing out again. I mean, what would you do, especially since I wouldn't be available?"

"But-"

"No 'buts', Tomioka. You're staying here until I know you are okay."

There was a short pause between the men. Giyuu looked away from the other. "Okay, Uzui."

Tengen smiled to himself. He was honestly surprised he was able to keep Giyuu here without much of a fuss. "Great! I'll be in the kitchen helping the girls get breakfast ready."

The Sound Hashira turned to leave the room, but he was stopped before he could walk away. He looked back at Giyuu. The quiet man had grabbed Tengen's hand, something neither of them thought would ever happen.

The eye contact was too strong and uncomfortable for Giyuu. "Thank you, again, Uzui. You didn't have to do this."

"You're a lot nicer than Kocho gives you credit for, Tomioka," Uzui said, laughing. "Also, please, don't mention it. I could tell you were going through something, and I didn't want to leave you alone." With that, Giyuu let go of Tengen's hand, and the Sound Hashira walked away.

Giyuu was stunned. Not only was he extremely embarrassed about being in Tengen's house, but Tengen was also being nice. Tengen didn't want to know what happened that made Giyuu break down like that. His only motive, that Giyuu had seen, was making sure the quiet man was okay.

Come to think of it, Giyuu couldn't think of a time when Tengen had actually said anything bad about him personally. Although, the tall guy does talk about Giyuu's haori a lot. That can be forgiven, though. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but it is one of Giyuu's treasures.

Giyuu, though. Tengen has never called Giyuu rude or annoying. Tengen has never made fun of Giyuu for not having many friends. Unlike Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro, Tengen hasn't mentioned the Nezuko situation after she proved herself.

Perhaps Tengen was better than the others? But, would he really be that different? Maybe he just doesn't voice his opinions as much as the others. Then again, why would he go out of his way to help Giyuu if he didn't like him?

Giyuu was confused. He wanted to think Tengen was better than the others, but what if he wasn't? What if Tengen was just as bad? Besides, Giyuu didn't want to be friends with Tengen, anyway? It went against the rule he made for himself. Eventually, Tengen would leave him, leaving Giyuu heartbroken and even more depressed than he already is. There was no way Giyuu was going to let his guard down for Tengen Uzui.

...

Tengen walked out of the room and sighed. He didn't have a problem with Giyuu personally. He honestly felt that the other Hashira were being too hard on the poor guy. After all, Giyuu hadn't done anything to any of the Hashira.

It is understandable that Giyuu doesn't want to talk to the others. He just wants to be left alone, and Tengen feels that the others, mainly Kocho, should respect that.

Although, Tengen does wonder often why Giyuu wants to be alone so much. Why does Giyuu dislike talking to everyone? Was he scared of rejection, or was he just antisocial? The answer was unclear to Tengen and all of the other Hashira. The only answer left was to leave poor Giyuu alone to live his life in as much peace as possible while being a demon slayer.

That being said, Tengen dropped the topic completely and focused on breakfast.

Tengen and his wives often cook together. It started when they would stand in the kitchen, talking, while Hinatsuru cooked. Then, Suma took an interest in cooking, which led to Makio helping out to satisfy Suma. Tengen eventually chimed in to get more skilled at secretly planning romantic evenings. In the end, they all had fun while appreciating the small moments they rarely have at home.

Tengen walked into the kitchen, knocking on the wall as he did so. "I'm here, ladies. How is breakfast coming along?"

The women looked at Tengen and smiled. Suma walked forward, smiling as Makio and Hinatsuru put their attention back on the food.

"Lord Tengen!" Suma gave Tengen a brief hug. "Breakfast will be ready soon. It's the basics, but it'll be delicious!"

Tengen chuckled softly at Suma. She was always cheerful and bubbly when food was the conversation topic. "I bet it most certainly will be, seeing as it is being cooked by three beautiful women that I am so grateful to have."

Hinatsuru smiled and joined Tengen and Suma. "Oh, stop it, Lord Tengen. You say the same thing every time."

"Well, that's because it's true!" Tengen made a pouting face, obviously joking. While Hinatsuru and Suma were laughing, Tengen focused on Makio. Something was wrong with her. "Makio, are you okay?"

Makio seemed to flinch at the sudden mention of her name. She looked at Tengen with a worried look. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just worried for that guy in there. His name was Tomioka, right?"

"Yea, his name is Tomioka. Why are you worried about him?" Tengen asked.

"Well," Makio started, not knowing how to put her thoughts into words. "He seems like a really quiet man. He's barely spoken his entire time here. And I do understand he's only been awake for a few minutes, but I can tell something is off about him. You said you brought him here because he was crying under a random tree. Isn't that concerning?"

Tengen took a moment to process Makio's concerns. They were true. "Tomioka is a quiet man. He barely shows emotions, and he avoids everyone whenever he can. I am very concerned for him. I want to let him rest before bombarding him with questions, though. He seems overwhelmed already."

"I hope he isn't suffering with anything mentally," Suma chimed in. "That would be so sad..."

Hinatsuru gently hugged Suma from the side. "No need to feel so bad, Suma. I'm sure whatever he's going through will be resolved eventually." Hinatsuru glanced at Tengen. "However, Lord Tengen, I would appreciate it if you at least tried to be friends with him. I think that would help him a lot."

"I will, Hinatsuru. That is if he'll talk to me," Tengen assured.

Tengen and Hinatsuru were interrupted by Makio, who was still standing at the stove. "Breakfast is ready. Tengen, I'll fix a tray for you to go and give Tomioka. If you want, you can eat in there too, to keep him company."

"Please, Makio. That would be nice," Tengen spoke. "Maybe I can get to know him a little more, as well."

Chapter Text

Tengen walked out of the kitchen with two trays of food in hand. He wasn't lying when he said he would try to get to know Giyuu better. He wanted to know Giyuu, but Tengen's success with that friendship depends on the quiet man the most.

The Sound Hashira skillfully slid the door to Giyuu open with his foot. Giyuu seemed to snap out of some thoughts. He looked surprised to see Tengen back with breakfast so soon.

"Hey, Tomioka! I'm back with some food," Tengen called, his voice now flashy as usual. Maybe he's not a morning person.

Giyuu looked at Tengen with a blank face. "Why do you have two trays of food?"

Tengen chuckled softly, understanding why Shinobu always calls Giyuu oblivious. "Well, I was thinking about sitting in here and eating with you, so you won't be alone." Giyuu's eyes widened slightly, obviously not expecting the company. "Is that okay, Tomioka?"

"Uh..." Giyuu went quiet for a couple of seconds. He had to think. Could he risk becoming friends with someone else? Tengen was a Hashira. He got into trouble nearly every day. At any moment, he could drop dead. Did Giyuu really want to risk that? "Sure..."

"Great!" Tengen exclaimed with a big smile. "I'm glad we're taking the first steps of friendship, Tomioka!"

Becoming embarrassed again, Giyuu's cheeks turned a subtle shade of pink. "Yea..."

Tengen walked up to Giyuu and handed him a tray. "It's just the basics. Rice, miso soup, some boiled vegetables, and some salmon. Although, I will say, Hinatsuru cooks the best food ever."

"It's okay if its basic. I'm sure it's still good," Giyuu assured his host. In all honesty, Giyuu didn't care about where his food came from. He was just thankful to have it.

Giyuu pulled his legs into a crisscross position in order to eat comfortably. Tengen took a seat on the bed and placed his tray on his legs. They both started eating in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but Tengen didn't like it.

"So," Tengen started, catching Giyuu's attention. "Why don't you talk to the other Hashira?"

Giyuu cocked his head slightly to the side. "Can you clarify?"

"Well, you don't seem like a bad guy, but I know some of them are annoyed with your silence. I know Shinazugawa, Iguro, and Kocho think you're arrogant because of it," Tengen explained.

Giyuu didn't have a good answer to that question. To most, it wouldn't be professional or reasonable at all. "I just don't like talking to people I don't know well. They eventually started getting angry with me, so I stopped trying to subtly explain myself to them." Tengen took a moment to process the information. "I know it seems childish," Giyuu spoke again.

"No, that's not childish at all," Tengen opposed. "Honestly, that's a total mood. Although, if I started ignoring the others when I wanted, they'd think I'm a demon!" The Sound Hashira laughed at his own joke, stopping when he noticed Giyuu's blank expression. "Anyway," Tengen continued, "what do you have with Kocho? She's really pissed with you, Tomioka. She says you have a personal grudge against her. Is that true?"

"Yes," Giyuu replied with no hesitation.

Tengen almost laughed at the brutalness of the reply, but he kept it together. "What did she do to you?"

Giyuu ate a piece of the salmon while he thought back on his and Shinobu's history. "Ever since I met her, she's teased me. I guess she's always been annoyed with my silence. A few years ago, she started insulting me more. That's when she started with the 'no friends' joke. Ever since then, it's been the same thing every conversation. But because she's trying to make me speak, I stay silent until the teases get to me."

"Damn," Tengen said, still chewing some of his food. Once he finished, he asked, "Are you petty, Tomioka?"

The question stunned Giyuu. No one had ever asked him such a weird question to his face. "I... What?" He was utterly confused, and you could see it on his face.

"No offense, but that's a pretty petty thing to do. You know, ignoring her because you know she hates it. Honestly, I fully support that decision," Tengen explained quickly.

Giyuu stared at Tengen for a bit before finally coming to a conclusion. "Let's just finish breakfast, Uzui."

Tengen laughed at Giyuu's visible and audible confusion but agreed.

The men continued their meal in silence. They were both thinking of their conversation. Tengen was satisfied with himself for making progress with Giyuu. Giyuu, however, was disappointed.

Giyuu was severely disappointed. He was breaking the promise he made to himself. The promise he made after his childhood friend, Sabito, was brutally murdered in Final Selection.

Sabito was Giyuu's best friend. After Sabito died, Giyuu promised himself he would never make another friend like that. He would never have a friend as close as Sabito. Everyone dies eventually, and Giyuu can't handle the pain of loss again.

Tengen, though. In Tengen, Giyuu saw Sabito. It was like Giyuu was meeting his best friend again after all of these years. He wasn't, though, and that was the worst part. Tengen wasn't Sabito, and Giyuu would never see Sabito again.

Giyuu was zoned out. He didn't know when he finished his food, and he didn't realize Tengen was calling his name until he felt the touch on his shoulder.

"Tomioka!" Tengen called. Giyuu snapped out of his feelings and looked up at Tengen. The Sound Hashira had gotten up, and kindly took both of their trays with him. He placed the trays in his left hand to tap Giyuu's shoulder. Giyuu was staring at Tengen blankly. "Are you okay, Tomioka? You were zoned out for a few minutes, and now you look a little upset."

Giyuu stared at Tengen for a moment. "It's nothing, Uzui. Don't worry about it."

Tengen's brows furrowed. "Are you sure? You can tell me if I made you uncomfortable, Tomioka. You are my guest, after all."

"I'm fine, Uzui. You didn't do anything. I was just thinking of something," Giyuu assured.

Tengen's face slightly darkened. "Is that why you broke down yesterday?" He couldn't believe he was actually saying this. Tengen just got on decent terms with Giyuu, and now he was risking it all over a single question.

Giyuu's eyes widened, and his head shot up to look at Tengen. He wasn't upset that the question was asked, but at the same time, Giyuu wasn't expecting Tengen to say it. Was Tengen actually risking everything? Giyuu didn't know what to say.

"What?" Giyuu asked, making sure he didn't sound angry.

Instead of forgetting the question, Tengen embraced his curiosity. "I asked if that was why you were upset yesterday." There was a moment of silence between the men. This time, it was unbelievably awkward. "If there is something I can do to help, even if it's just sitting and listening to you talk about it, I'm willing to do so. You deserve the attention as much as anyone else does."

Giyuu almost teared up at the kindness. It wasn't because he had never been given this amount of kindness before. If Giyuu was friends with the others, he was sure they wouldn't mind letting him talk. The thought crossed his mind frequently, and he never teared up at it, so Giyuu didn't know why he felt like crying.

Maybe it was because Sabito said those exact words once.

The Water Hashira looked down to hide his face. "I'll tell you one day, Uzui. I'm not ready yet."

Tengen placed his hand on Giyuu's shoulder firmly. "It's okay, Tomioka. I understand. I won't push you, either. I know how some topics can be sensitive like this."

When Giyuu looked back up to look Tengen in the eyes, he looked oddly familiar. Tengen didn't look like Tengen Uzui in this exact moment. Instead, he was a mirroring image of Sabito. Tengen was smiling reassuringly with his eyes closed. Giyuu let out a tiny but noticeable smile, enjoying the familiarity of his friend.

Tengen Uzui isn't as bad as Giyuu thought. Maybe, just maybe, it is okay for Giyuu to let his guard down. Maybe it's okay for him to have one friend. If this feeling stayed throughout his and Tengen's relationship, Giyuu didn't care that he broke the promise.

Chapter Text

Everyone was in the Uzui household's main room, and Giyuu was getting more and more uncomfortable. There were a few too many people that Giyuu didn't know, but he tried not to show his discomfort. He didn't want to seem rude in Tengen's house, and he didn't want to make a bad impression on the wives, either.

Luckily for Giyuu, he was almost allowed to leave. The calm woman, Hinatsuru, was giving Giyuu a simple checkup for any injuries, despite the quiet man saying he didn't have any. At least she was better than Shinobu in the "leave me alone" department.

While Hinatsuru was giving the checkup, Makio was asking about Giyuu's stay, and Suma was asking random questions.

"I'm glad you liked your stay, Tomioka," Makio said. She was just happy Suma hadn't annoyed Giyuu too much.

Suma giggled, "Me too, Tomioka! And one more thing. I would just like to say that your hair is amazing and beautiful."

Giyuu's eyes widened slightly. His arms were out so Hinatsuru could check for breaks and fractures, so he couldn't hide his embarrassment with his hands. "Uh, thank you, Suma."

"That's Suma's talk for asking if she can play with your hair," Hinatsuru explained, laughing softly.

Giyuu looked up at Suma, who was pink with embarrassment. She gave a nervous giggle and looked away.

"She's really good at hair and nails, Tomioka," Tengen chimed in.

Although Giyuu didn't know how to respond personally, he knew what he should do. He didn't want to hurt Suma's feelings. So, Giyuu was going to suck it up and deal with it. "You can do my hair, Suma."

Suma's eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked. She seemed really excited.

"Yea," Giyuu replied with a small nod.

Suma squealed with pure excitement. While Hinatsuru and Tengen were laughing, Makio seemed annoyed. "Stop squealing in my ear!" Makio then hit Suma on the back of the head.

Giyuu's eyes widened slightly, and he jumped a little. Tengen noticed and laughed at him. "It's okay, Tomioka. This is normal for them."

The quiet man looked over at Tengen, his arms going back down to his sides. He was confused once more. Though, he understood that relationship. Makio and Suma acted like young Giyuu and Sabito. Giyuu used to be emotional like Suma, and Sabito would get annoyed whenever Giyuu chickened out of something.

"Girls, calm down, please," Hinatsuru said, walking to her wives and splitting them up.

Makio sighed and pouted, but then she smiled. Suma did the same. They both laughed and made up quickly.

"I'll be right back with my supplies!" Suma called. She then darted out of the room to a part of the house that was unknown to Giyuu.

For some reason, Giyuu was becoming slightly scared. He wasn't scared of Suma but of his dignity. He didn't want to leave Tengen's house looking like a little girl's first doll. Giyuu decided while he waited to undo his ponytail.

Surprising to most, Giyuu did, in fact, comb his hair. He took care of his hair because his sister took care of hers. When Giyuu's hair wasn't spiked in his ponytail, it was partway between wavy and slightly curly. Giyuu never liked his wavy hair as a child, so he never bothered to learn how to deal with it. That's why, after combing his hair every morning, Giyuu spiked his hair in his usual ponytail. Only a few people knew of his surprising hair.

Giyuu took his hair out of his ponytail. He ran his hands through the spikes, fluffing his hair out as he went along. Tengen and his other two wives watched in astonishment. They never would have guessed.

"I wish my hair looked like that," Hinatsuru said.

Suma ran back into the room, slightly out of breath. Her hands were full of hair products. "I'm back-," she stopped mid-sentence. Suma stared blankly at Giyuu, whose hair had magically gone from spiky ponytail to fluffy dog. "What?"

"It's embarrassing," Giyuu said, clearly embarrassed. Honestly, he wanted to go back to the Water Estate and hide from the world. However, he still didn't like the idea of letting Suma down.

Suma walked up to the quiet man. "What are you talking about? Your natural hair is beautiful! You look like the hotter version of me!"

Tengen couldn't help but laugh at his wife. Suma and Giyuu did look strangely similar, though. "Suma, you and Tomioka aren't related in any way, are you?"

Suma and Giyuu both took a moment to think. Suma was busy training to fight and learning how to work around the house at a young age, rarely having time for distant family. Giyuu's mother, on the other hand, tried to make sure her children knew who their family was. Giyuu lived in a small village in the mountains, and his family lived there for generations. Giyuu's sister was also interested in their family history for a while. Giyuu had never heard of anyone in his family being any sort of ninja.

Suma looked at Giyuu, silently questioning him. Giyuu shook his head, and Suma looked back to Tengen. "Nope, I don't think so."

Tengen shrugged. "It didn't hurt to ask."

After the ordeal, Suma put her attention back on Giyuu. Makio and Hinatsuru had been talking to each other for a few minutes, and Tengen walked over to join them. Now was Suma's chance to turn Giyuu into a new person with the magic of a woman's hair products.

Tengen cared for his wives dearly, so he had no problem spending money on things for them. Suma's choice is always the newest hair and nail products. Although they are expensive, Tengen gets them anyway.

"Can you sit down for me?" Suma asked Giyuu. The quiet man nodded and sat on the floor.

Suma had put her basket of different hair products on the floor when she walked into the room. She got her products, walked back to Giyuu, and got to work.

After digging through the basket for a few seconds, Suma pulled out a standard hairbrush. She combed through Giyuu's spiked hair, mesmerized by the way his hair waved. After finishing the first comb-through, Suma grabbed a spray bottle with water in it. She needed to control the frizz of Giyuu's hair before she could style it. After combing the man's hair for a second time, it was finally time to style it.

Suma grabbed a comb out of her basket, and she parted Giyuu's hair straight down the middle. The woman worked for a few minutes, occasionally switching between the comb and different products. It seemed like Giyuu's hair naturally fell into a spiked position, though it didn't look stiff. Instead, it was quite fluffy and interesting.

The woman worked some more. Finally, after ten whole minutes, she came to a likable conclusion. Giyuu's hair was wavy, fluffy, and it still had a spiky silhouette. Although it still looked spiky, the spikes had softer edges, and they were nowhere near as stiff as they had been.

She had also messed with Giyuu's front fringe. Those spikes also had softer edges. All of the spikey edges were natural. The man's hair naturally curled upward. In all, Giyuu looked like a much nicer person.

Suma backed away from Giyuu and giggled. "I'm done!" Giyuu stood up, and the others looked over. "What does everyone think?"

Tengen's eyes widened immediately. There was no way this was the same quiet man who quite literally told the Demon Slayer Corps to fuck itself when he allowed Nezuko to live. There was no way in hell. "You look great, Tomioka!" Somehow, Giyuu looked even more like Suma than before.

"Suma, you were right," Makio started, trying to hold back her laughter. "He is the hotter version of you."

Hinatsuru sighed but also laughed. "Don't encourage that kind of behavior, Makio. We have no idea if Tomioka is comfortable with that being said about him." As if asking Giyuu the question, Hinatsuru looked over at the quiet man.

Giyuu was embarrassed. Everything was embarrassing. He had been embarrassed for the majority of his stay at the Uzui household, and it kept getting worse. At some point, Tengen is going to think Giyuu has a thing for the girls. "It's fine," Giyuu lied. He didn't want to concern anyone.

Although Giyuu was embarrassed, he had looked in a small mirror and couldn't lie about liking his new hairstyle. He looked like his older sister whenever she took her hair out of her braid. Tsutako always had beautiful hair after the braid was undone. In fact, she was going to wear her hair similar to this on her wedding day.

Giyuu smiled softly to himself. "Thank you, Suma."

Suma's eyes lit up. "Anytime, Tomioka!" She could tell it probably wasn't often that this quiet man smiled, so she cherished the moment.

The group spoke for a few more minutes about how Giyuu looked and how Suma did a good job. It wasn't long, though, before Giyuu had to leave. Although the wives were sad, Giyuu had to get back to his own "home" before sundown. He was a Hashira, and it was likely that he would have a mission soon.

As Giyuu was walking away from the Uzui household, the others were waving.

"Bye, Tomioka!" Tengen called. He surprisingly enjoyed Giyuu's company a lot more than he expected he would.

Suma was almost crying while waving. She also enjoyed seeing Giyuu, and she already thought of him as a friend. There was no doubt she would be giving him a bear hug the next time they met. "Bye! You should let me do your hair again!"

Hinatsuru laughed at Suma. Makio rolled her eyes with no ill intent. "Come back soon! We don't want Suma to annoy us to death about your next visit!"

As he was walking, Giyuu looked down and smiled. Although it was unexpected of him, he kind of liked Tengen. Giyuu wouldn't mind having that friendship stick around. Maybe having friends wasn't so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Giyuu was walking down the pathway to the Water Estate peacefully. He enjoyed this moment of silence. Although he enjoyed his stay with Tengen and his wives, they were all a little loud for Giyuu's taste. At least the quiet man had friends.

Just when Giyuu thought nothing could go wrong, an annoyingly familiar voice called out to him. "Oh my, Tomioka! What are you doing on this fine afternoon?" Giyuu sighed, knowing his peace and quiet was out the window for at least an hour. The person behind him only got closer, somehow not understanding that he or she was not wanted at this moment. "Are you perhaps going to your next mission? Or are you just going back to your bland estate to mope about not having friends?"

Giyuu rolled his eyes, though the other person couldn't tell. "Kocho, I have friends."

Shinobu laughed, obviously finding Giyuu's pain and suffering amusing. "Oh, Tomioka. Who has been lying to you? First, you help a demon. Now, you think people like you. Is there something wrong in your head?"

"No, Kocho. Plus, Nezuko's existence in the corps has been approved of by Master. I thought you would've stopped mentioning that fact," Giyuu explained. He didn't like Shinobu, and he disliked talking with her even more. He only wanted some peace and quiet.

"Oh dear, Tomioka. It seems you were wrong. There is still the possibility of Nezuko losing control and attacking someone," Shinobu said.

Giyuu decided to turn around and finally face the pest that was bothering him. Shinobu is the Insect Hashira, although she unfortunately cannot be gotten rid of by swatting at her. Giyuu was getting tired of the girl's constant teasing.

The quiet man gave Shinobu a blank stare. It was clear he didn't want to have this conversation. "I thought Nezuko proved that she wouldn't harm anyone. She clearly denied Shinazugawa's blood."

Shinobu smiled that fake smile she was known for. Giyuu knew it was fake, and it infuriated him to have her make fun of his feelings, though hers were clearly faulty.

The girl continued, "Yes, but what if she gets stronger? With more power comes more responsibility. It will be harder to control herself. If Nezuko unlocks that power in a particularly brutal battle, what will happen then?"

Giyuu was done with Shinobu. She had valid reasoning. That very well could happen, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Giyuu turned back around and continued walking to his estate.

Shinobu looked shocked. That was probably a fake emotion too. "My, Tomioka! Where are you going? You know it's rude to walk away during a conversation!" Giyuu stayed silent and continued walking. Shinobu seemed to get annoyed. She angrily followed Giyuu, catching up to him quite quickly. "You know this is why no one likes you, right Tomioka?"

"If no one likes me," Giyuu started, "why do you bother me all day?"

Shinobu stayed quiet for a few seconds, still following Giyuu down the path. "What do you mean, Tomioka?"

Giyuu looked at the short girl. "Any time you see me, you mess with me. You tease and insult me often. Why?"

"I tease you because I want you to open up and be my friend, Tomioka," Shinobu explained. To Giyuu, that was a really shitty excuse. He would never say that to her face, though.

Giyuu stopped walking, and the girl stopped too. "Why do you think insulting me will make me want to be your friend?" Giyuu didn't sound angry, nor did he look angry. Shinobu could tell, though, that the quiet man was upset. She stuttered a few times, not knowing how to respond. "If I wanted to be your friend, I would talk to you," Giyuu finished.

The quiet man looked at Shinobu for a moment. He enjoyed the look of genuine shock on her face. She wasn't expecting a comeback. She never does. After a while, Giyuu turned around and walked away. He was fairly through with this conversation.

Giyuu makes it a few minutes down the path before he is interrupted again. "Tomioka, I'm sorry," Shinobu said. The words honestly surprised Giyuu. He didn't expect a woman with as much pride and dignity as Shinobu to actually apologize to him. She seemed incapable of doing so. The surprised must have been clear on Giyuu's face, because Shinobu continued, "That's right, I said sorry. I wasn't expecting you to react like that, and the reaction seemed out of character for you. I'll try not to make fun of you as much, especially since you don't like it."

The quiet man stared at Shinobu as though she were a completely different person. It definitely felt that way, at least. Shinobu had to hold in a laugh while comparing Giyuu and Kanao's surprised stares.

"I guess I'll forgive you, Kocho. Just, don't do it as much," Giyuu finally said.

Shinobu relased a breath she didn't know she was holding. She was glad Giyuu didn't hate her guts enough not to forgive her. She hadn't even noticed that she was taking it too far until now. She never asked for Giyuu's opinion, and Giyuu never gave it. It was only now that Shinobu realized how heavily her words impacted her fellow Hashira.

Giyuu continued walking along the path. He didn't want Shinobu to follow him, but he wouldn't be as upset if she did now than he would've been in the past. He was just grateful she actually apologized.

Unluckily for the quiet man, the world would never give him what he wanted. Shinobu was following Giyuu once more. Now that she said she wouldn't tease the man as much, Giyuu wanted to know what the girl would talk about now.

"I like your hair, Tomioka," Shinobu said surprisingly sincerely. Of course, that was the first thing Shinobu mentioned. She was probably assuming something crazy. "Who did your hair, Tomioka? Did you do it yourself?"

There was no way in hell Giyuu was going to tell Shinobu about being at Tengen's house. There was absolutely no way she would find out about his wife doing his hair. There was no way Shinobu would know about Giyuu's mental breakdown. He wasn't ready for that kind of humiliation just yet.

Giyuu decided to do the first thing that came to mind. "Yes. I wanted to try something different." That was a complete lie. Giyuu made a mental note to thank Suma and apologize ten times over about claiming the credit.

Shinobu giggled, slightly scaring Giyuu about what might come out of her mouth next. "Well, I think it looks very nice. It suits you very well. It makes you look like a nicer person."

Giyuu stayed silent for a bit before remembering Shinobu's most common tease. "Thank you, Kocho."

A few seconds had passed, and Shinobu was silent. It was unlike her to be so quiet. When Giyuu looked down at her, he could see a genuine smile on her face. It was fake, forced, or any other word that could describe her usual smile. It was genuine. But why? What did Giyuu say that made Shinobu smile like that? Is that really what replying to her, after all this time, does?

The quiet man made a mental note of the situation. He would make sure to remember the moment, in case he and the girl ever became close friends. Then, he could look back and remember the times he hated this butterfly girl.

The two walked in silence. It wouldn't be long before they got to the Water Estate, and the Butterfly Mansion was even further down the path. Giyuu wanted to know how Shinobu felt about this whole situation. He wanted to know if she actually meant the apology.

Suddenly, Giyuu's emotions came crashing down on him like a tsunami.

The man began feeling lied to. He suddenly started feeling as if Shinobu had lied to him. Suddenly, Giyuu wouldn't be surprised if Shinobu started teasing him again right here and now.

Giyuu didn't know why he was feeling this way, but he was. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt as if this entire conversation was a lie. Maybe the girl acted like she cared to get Giyuu to talk to her. That was her entire reasoning for teasing the man in the first place. If that was her plan, she succeeded effortlessly.

The whole ordeal was just another reminder to Giyuu that no one cared for him. Anyone would use him as much as they needed to climb higher up the ranks. It didn't even have to be the demon slayer ranks. In fact, anyone would use Giyuu for anything. If it made their life easier, they wouldn't hesitate.

Maybe Shinobu was someone just like that. Maybe she could care less. Maybe she only apologized in order to prove some kind of point. That point being that Giyuu was the easiest man to manipulate in the world.

Giyuu had to get out of there. Everything was becoming too much. If he ended up passing out again, he at least wanted to be in the "comfort" of his estate.

Within minutes, Giyuu went from slightly enjoying his conversation with Shinobu to hating both of their existences. Just thinking of all the things that girl could be up to make his blood boil. He did all of this without a reason to.

Giyuu didn't know why his mind randomly assumed the worst. He didn't know why he couldn't let anything go. There is as much of a possibility that Shinobu meant the apology as there is that she didn't. So why was Giyuu overreacting? Was he paranoid?

After what seemed like hours, Giyuu and Shinobu finally approached the Water Estate. Giyuu didn't say anything before he went inside. All he did was wave. That's all he could do. The man felt that if he tried to speak, he would break. After all, that was his only talent.

As soon as Giyuu entered his estate, his knees hit the ground, and tears started flowing down his face. It was happening again, and there was no way of stopping it.

Chapter Text

Giyuu was sitting on the floor of his estate, tears running down his face. Why was he crying? He had no reason to be crying.

He couldn't just blame everything on everyone else. No one deserved Giyuu's hate. No one ever did anything to Giyuu. Sure, they might talk bad about him or annoy him daily, but they never did anything bad.

So why was it that Giyuu refused to believe they did anything good to him, either?

Shinobu just told the man that she was sorry for annoying him so badly. She said sorry. Shinobu, out of everyone, apologized. And Giyuu forgave her. He didn't regret the decision at the moment, so why was he regretting it now?

Giyuu was so close to having friends. Tengen helped him without being asked and Shinobu seems to care more than expected. Why was it now that Giyuu's mind was going wild with accusations left and right?

Maybe it was because he hated himself as much as the other Hashira did.

It was clear that Giyuu was disliked by the Hashira. Shinobu had been right about that since the beginning. The quiet man just didn't want to come to terms with the truth. But now, the truth was standing right in front of him, and it was in bold.

Giyuu would never be liked by the others. He would never be accepted. He didn't deserve to be accepted. After all, he was just a fake Hashira. Giyuu was just a placeholder until the real Water Hashira was chosen.

Giyuu was just a placeholder that didn't deserve to speak, or even look at, the real Hashira. The real Hashira had jobs to do. They were important. They had to kill demons almost daily, and they were paid generously for their work. Giyuu, on the other hand, was much different.

This quiet man wasn't even a real demon slayer. Even if he was, he wouldn't deserve it. His best friend, Sabito, would have been a much better candidate for the position of Water Hashira. In fact, he wouldn't even be a placeholder. He would be the real Water Hashira.

Just thinking about how much better Sabito would have been upset Giyuu. They were supposed to be demon slayers together. They were supposed to take down every enemy they came across with little to no effort needed. Why was it that the world had to take Sabito away from Giyuu? Why must the world be so cruel?

Giyuu's tears fell and fell. They weren't going to stop anytime soon. The man felt like screaming, but he didn't need to distract the real Hashira from their jobs. That would be horrible. Giyuu didn't deserve the time of day, so he stayed as quiet as he could.

If Sabito were in this situation, the others wouldn't hesitate to help him. Sabito would be welcomed and accepted with open arms. Giyuu, however, seemed to get on even Mitsuri Kanroji's nerves. That was supposed to be nearly impossible. That shows just how much Giyuu was hated by the others.

Giyuu was only needed to support the others when needed. He couldn't let them down. They already hate him enough, so he didn't need to add to the flames and hate, and anger. But what if he was?

What if Giyuu had been adding fuel to this never-ending fire of pain and agony since the beginning? After all, Giyuu was the reason his sister had died. Giyuu was the reason Sabito had died. Giyuu was the reason Nezuko was still alive. Some of the Hashira seemed to hate Nezuko, so they obviously blamed her existence on Giyuu.

All Giyuu wanted was a break, but he wasn't going to get that. He would never get that. His mind wouldn't let him have a break. It stayed scrambled almost all day, every day. Eventually, it explodes in waves of self-hate and doubt.

It was all too much to handle. Giyuu didn't know what to do.

Everything was his fault. He was the reason he didn't have friends. He was the reason he would never have friends. He was the reason he didn't deserve friends. Everything was Giyuu Tomioka's fault, and he knew it.

Deep down, Giyuu knew everything.

Shinobu was upset that Giyuu never spoke to her. She would tease and insult him all day. It was Giyuu's fault for never responding. It was Giyuu's fault for annoying her. Even though the girl apologized, there was no way she meant it. She thought everything through, this moment too. She probably apologized to manipulate Giyuu into finally speaking, thinking she had changed her ways. It was Giyuu's fault for falling for that damn trick. It was so obvious that it hurts to think back on it.

Tengen helped Giyuu the night before. He didn't have to, but he wanted to because he was worried. It was Giyuu's fault for making such an important person worry. Tengen's wives were probably upset when the tall man walked into his house with an unconscious piece of shit like Giyuu in his arms. It was Giyuu's fault for sitting in public, not caring if anyone saw him.

Sanemi hated Giyuu because he never spoke. He hated Giyuu because of his personality. It was Giyuu's fault. He annoyed a strong Hashira because he didn't want to speak. Shinobu calls that rude and disrespectful. Maybe Giyuu should've listened to the girl. Maybe then Sanemi could focus on his job, other than worthless things like Giyuu. Sanemi also hates the Kamado siblings. That is also Giyuu's fault. Giyuu allowed Nezuko to live, risking the lives of many. There is no way to tell for certain if Nezuko will never eat a human. Shinobu was right. Nezuko might become stronger, making it harder to control herself.

Obanai Iguro also hates Giyuu for his lack of speaking. Once again, if Giyuu had just spoken to the people above him in rank and power, they wouldn't have a reason to waste their time on him. He couldn't forget about Obanai's hate for Nezuko. Obanai and Sanemi were pretty similar. Giyuu was pretty sure they both wanted him dead.

There are many people that Giyuu has burdened over the years. He wasted his trainer's time more than anything. If Giyuu had died in those mountains after running away from home, his trainer would have been able to focus more on Sabito. Sabito would have been stronger at Final Selection. He wouldn't have had to pay attention to Giyuu at the beginning. Sabito wouldn't have fallen, and he would be the Water Hashira right now.

Giyuu was tired, but there were still so many things he had to go over in his mind. There were still so many things that he needed to take the blame for. There was one in particular that he could never forget.

If Giyuu had managed to get to Tanjiro's family on time, that little boy's life wouldn't have been ruined. If Giyuu had run a little faster, if he hadn't taken any breaks, and if he had been stronger, he would have been able to save Tanjiro's family.

Tanjiro wouldn't be a demon slayer. He wouldn't be risking his life every night. He would be at home, sleeping peacefully. He would be with his mother and his siblings. He and his siblings would be alive, well, and they would all find lovers to grow old with. Nezuko would also be with them, still a human.

It was all Giyuu's fault. As much as he tried to forget them, the thoughts always came back to haunt him. Giyuu tried to move on from Tsutako. He tried to move on from Sabito. He tried to realize that neither Tanjiro nor Nezuko blamed him for their family's death. He tried to forget about being a disappointment to the other Hashira.

But he couldn't. The thoughts would always be there. The guilt, the sorrow, and the pain. It would all be there to haunt him every time he forgot or tried to move on. There was nothing he could do. There was nothing anyone could do. The only relief Giyuu would ever get is the sweet relief of death.

The world was too cruel to do that, though. The gods know of Giyuu's sorrow, pain, and guilt. That's why he's been alive this long. But death is inevitable. You can't escape it. One day. One normal day. Something will happen. Whether it is sudden, painful, or you don't realize it is happening. Death will someday take you into its arms and carry you to the afterlife.

Chapter Text

Giyuu sniffled. He had been on the floor beside the door to his estate for what seemed like hours. It might have been hours. Giyuu didn't know how long he had sat there and cried. He was just happy no one interrupted his mental breakdown. He was also happy that he hadn't burdened anyone else today.

The man stood up, holding onto the wall for a few seconds. He had wasted enough time doing nothing. He needed to clean up in case he was called for a mission.

Giyuu felt awful and he probably looked the part. He didn't know why his mental breakdowns hit him like bricks. He couldn't help that he always assumed the worst. It was just in his nature to do those things.

Every time Giyuu thought he had gotten over something, he always broke down. Then, he was right back where he started, with no friends, no family, and no self-appreciation. Maybe the word did hate him after all.

Giyuu sniffled once more, wiping away any excess tears that hadn't fallen yet. He began walking to his bathroom, hoping a nice shower could clear his head. As he was walking, he thought about Tengen.

Tengen had asked Giyuu what happened. He wanted to know if there was something wrong, and if there was anything he could do. For a second, Giyuu considered asking Tengen to come over so that they could talk about things.

Just thinking of having to talk about his past aloud exhausted Giyuu. If he did meet with Tengen, it wouldn't be today. Besides, Giyuu had wasted enough of the other's time already. He could give the guy a break.

Maybe Giyuu could write the letter today. But what would he write? Was it as simple as saying "I had another breakdown. Can you come over so I can bother you some more?" Maybe. Though, the thought of asking Tengen to go out of his way just to talk didn't sit right with Giyuu.

Deep down, Giyuu didn't want to annoy or bother Tengen. That's why he was so anxious about sending the letter. Even though Tengen said he wanted to help, he could have been lying. It was possible that Tengen didn't care at all, and the only reason he helped was so Giyuu didn't get eaten by a demon.

It was all so stressful. Giyuu wanted to send the letter, but he was nervous. If he was going to send the letter, he at least wanted it to be perfect.

Giyuu opened the door to his bathroom. He walked in, enjoying the sense of peace he got. Whenever he was stressed, he would take a hot shower. Whenever he wanted to be alone, he would take a hot shower.

The Demon Slayer Corps gave the Hashira's estates the newest technology. That was the corps' way of saying thank you. That, and Hashira were paid handsomely. Giyuu knew Shinobu enjoyed the newest medical technology.

Although many would probably make water connection jokes about it, Giyuu's favorite thing about the estates was the newer bathrooms. Specifically, the showers. Giyuu had cried in many bathrooms before. He didn't go to big cities, so Giyuu enjoyed being able to relax in his own estate.

Giyuu turned the water on and waited for it to warm up. Once it was at the perfect temperature, the man undressed himself. He stepped in and enjoyed the feeling of the hot water on his back. This was exactly what he needed after an emotional breakdown. Now, he needed to figure out what to write to Tengen.

Giyuu wanted his letter to Tengen to be perfect. He didn't want it to sound sloppy. It didn't need to sound as if he were joking, but it also didn't need to sound too serious. Giyuu didn't want Tengen to panic and come to the Water Estate as soon as possible. But he also didn't want to wait forever.

However, there was still the possibility that Tengen didn't care. He could very well not show up at all. Or Tengen could race over as soon as possible anyways because of his curiosity. If Tengen did care, how fast he showed up depended on how much he wanted to know what happened the previous night.

After a few more minutes of thinking, Giyuu made up his mind. The letter would be a friendly invite to come and chat at the Water Estate. Then, it needed to reason. In all, the letter wouldn't be a joke, but it wouldn't be too serious.

Next, Giyuu needed to plot out all that he wanted to say. Should he mention his recent breakdown? Was that important information? Or should he just say he thought about it, and he wanted to explain to Tengen what happened the night before. Or should he not mention the breakdowns at all and just say that he needs someone to talk to. The possibilities seemed to be endless. Who knew writing a letter would be so difficult.

Giyuu continued thinking. Although his letter was important, so was the amount of water he used in his showers. He didn't like to waste water, and that was exactly what he was doing currently.

The man washed his body to finish his shower, quickly turning off the water and getting out. Giyuu grabbed his towel, the cool air feeling freezing on his bare body. He took a moment to dry off, wrapping the towel around his waist and walking to his bedroom.

Giyuu grabbed the basics out of his closet and dresser. Once he was dressed, he looked the same as he always did, just with wet hair. In fact, his hair is what Giyuu was going to focus on next.

He enjoyed the wavy fluff that Suma created earlier, but his hair is currently soaked. There was no way he was going to get the same results without something to dry his hair better than his towel. Giyuu, however, knew next to nothing about hair. He owned no products helpful in this situation. So, he gave up. He would just comb through his hair and be done with it.

Giyuu did what one would normally do after a shower. Soon enough, it was time to sit down and write the letter to Tengen.

Now that Giyuu had the pen in his hand, he didn't know what to write. He might have come up with a basic topic and tone, but he hadn't chosen actual words. It was a good think he had multiple pieces of paper.

Giyuu thought long and hard about what to write.

"Dear Tengen," were the only words the man wrote before scratching this letter. He couldn't address Tengen by his first name yet. That would be rude and pushing their relationship a bit too far.

Giyuu got another piece of paper, sighing.

"Dear Tengen Uzui,"

That was better. So, Giyuu continued, hoping for the best.

"I have thought about our conversation for some time now. You said you wanted to know what happened that made me cry like that."

No, that was too straightforward. This was supposed to be a letter, not a note.

"Dear Tengen Uzui,"

"I am writing to you today to."

That sounded horrible. Giyuu could do much better than that.

"Dear Tengen Uzui,"

"How has your day been? Although I am writing to you about a matter involving my well-being, I would like to know of yours. I hope you have had a nice day. I hope your wives are doing well, too. They are nice women, and I really enjoyed it when Suma did my hair."

That seemed good enough. It wasn't the best, but it also wasn't the worst. Giyuu didn't want to stress on introductions. He had enough problems addressing the main issue.

"I am writing to you today to discuss a matter you mentioned when we ate breakfast together. You said you would like to know what happened to me before you came along. If I am not mistaken, you also said you would like to help me. I appreciate your offer. After thinking about it, I have decided I would like to tell you what happened, mostly because it happened again. Although, this time it seemed to be worse."

It seemed like Giyuu was begging for some sort of attention, but that was the truth. He would like to be able to talk to someone when things went downhill. Maybe Tengen could be that person. As much as he was regretting his decision, Giyuu put his pen back on the paper.

"Whenever you find the time, you are invited to the Water Estate to talk. Please, do not feel obligated to come if you don't want to. One more thing, take your time to get here. I am okay. It is also fine if you come immediately. I am fine with anything."

It was fine. Giyuu wanted this letter to be perfect, but he didn't think there was anything else to add without adding the entire situation. Then, there would be no reason for the two men to meet in person.

For some reason, Giyuu really wanted to see Tengen again. He didn't know why. Maybe it was because he seemed to care. Giyuu didn't want to get his hopes up. He just wanted to finish the letter.

"See you soon (or not), Giyuu Tomioka."

Giyuu sighed, fanning the ink on the paper. The letter was finished.

Once the ink looked dry, Giyuu folded the paper up and put it into an envelope. He stuck the sides down, and called for his crow, Kanzaburo. It took a few seconds, but soon enough, the old crow came flying through a small open window and into the room.

"Caw! Caw! What do you need, Giyuu Tomioka?" The bird said, landing right in front of Giyuu.

Giyuu gave a tiny smile. This old bird was one of the only things that cheered him up anymore. "I would like you to deliver this to Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, please." Giyuu held the letter out to the bird.

Kanzaburo looked at the letter for a moment, as though he needed extra time to process Giyuu's words. "Of course!"

Giyuu poked a small hole in the top corner of the envelope. He then grabbed a piece of string, tying the letter to his bird's foot. Just to make sure his Kasugai crow didn't get hurt or harm the letter, Giyuu picked the envelope up and held it out for the bird to put in its beak.

"Thank you, Kanzaburo," Giyuu said.

With that, the man's Kasugai crow flew away to deliver the letter to Tengen.

Now, all Giyuu had to do was wait.

Chapter Text

It had only been a few hours since Giyuu left the Uzui household. Although somehow, Tengen was not surprised to be sent a letter by the quiet man. He knew Giyuu sent the letter just by the sight of a crippled old crow in the distance.

Tengen had felt off since Giyuu left. He felt as though something might happen with the other in such an emotional state, whether the quiet man accepted that or not. There were even times Tengen contemplated going to the Water Estate to find the other. But it was rude to go to someone's house uninvited, especially when there might not be anything wrong. This was Tengen's chance though.

For some reason, even though he had just gotten to know Giyuu, Tengen felt as though he wanted to spend every day with the man. Tengen was already planning on asking Giyuu to get lunch with him, and maybe Kyojuro, in the city. Although, something about Giyuu was different, and Tengen couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Tengen took the letter away from the crow. "Thank you." He then opened the letter and began to read it.

"Dear Tengen Uzui,"

"How has your day been? Although I am writing to you about a manner involving my well-being, I would like to know of yours. I hope you have had a nice day. I hope your wives are doing well, too. They are nice women, and I really enjoyed it when Suma did my hair."

"I am writing to you today to discuss a matter you mentioned when we ate breakfast together. You said you would like to know what happened to me before you came along. If I am not mistaken, you also said you would like to help me. I appreciate your offer. After thinking about it, I have decided I would like to tell you what happened, mostly because it happened again. Although, this time it seemed to be worse."

"Whenever you find the time, you are invited to the Water Estate to talk. Please, do not feel obligated to come if you don't want to. One more thing, take your time to get here. I am okay. It is also fine if you come immediately. I am fine with anything."

"See you soon (or not), Giyuu Tomioka."

Tengen read through the letter quickly. He was concerned to say the least. Giyuu couldn't even go a full day without breaking down again. What was happening to this man? Tengen focused on the part where Giyuu mentioned the breakdown had been worse.

Within seconds, Tengen told his wives he was needed somewhere, and he ran out of the house. Giyuu was a fool to think Tengen didn't care about what was happening. Of course, Tengen cared! He always will if the situation was this bad!

Even though Giyuu mentioned in the letter that he was fine now, Tengen was still in a hurry to get to the Water Estate. Even getting the letter in the first place was a sign to Tengen that Giyuu trusted him. Giyuu trusted him, and that was enough of a reason Tengen needed to rush over to the man's house because he was sad. If Giyuu trusted Tengen with this information, the Sound Hashira would do anything in return.

Tengen seemed to make it to the Water Estate in record time. He took a few seconds to breathe, knocking on the door while he did so. As if Giyuu had been hoping to see Tengen this soon, the door opened almost immediately.

"Uzui. I didn't think you would actually come this soon," Giyuu said.

The other Hashira looked up at Giyuu as if he were to call the quiet man crazy. "Of course I came! I told you I wanted to know more about your problems, didn't I?" Giyuu was quiet as he thought back on their previous conversation. "Exactly," Tengen said with a visible smirk.

Giyuu looked away from the taller man. He was already embarrassed. Somehow, he got embarrassed a lot easier around Tengen. What could this mean?

The shorter Hashira shook the confusing thoughts out of his head. He then moved aside. "Come in, Uzui. I'll make us some tea." Giyuu motioned for Tengen to enter the estate.

Tengen stepped into the building, grateful for not being sent away last minute. In fact, that fear had been in the back of Tengen's mind all day. What if Giyuu suddenly stopped wanting to talk about his issues? What if Giyuu decides he doesn't want to be Tengen's friend after all? It was all possible, but hopefully the quiet man didn't do any of it.

Giyuu closed the door behind his guest, grabbing Tengen's hand afterward. Both of the men paused for a split second. They were feeling such strange feelings. Though Tengen knew what they were, Giyuu did not.

Despite this, Giyuu led Tengen to a room with a table and a few seating cushions. "Please, take a seat," Giyuu said, trying to sound as polite as possible. "I'll go and get us some tea. Make yourself comfortable."

The quiet man walked away quickly. He wanted to get away from Tengen, but at the same time, he wanted to be near the other in all ways possible. This was confusing. Giyuu didn't like these feelings. Though he didn't know what the feeling was, he knew the feeling was familiar.

Tengen, on the other hand, was feeling even more confused. Tengen wanted to be Giyuu's friend, yes, but he felt feelings that were different than those intentions. Tengen felt a longing feeling toward Giyuu. Although, that wasn't what concerned the man.

While Tengen understood why he so desperately wanted to be the quiet man's friend, he didn't know why there was more to the feeling. It was as if Tengen wanted to be unbelievably close to Giyuu. It was as if Tengen wanted to be more than friends. But, Tengen had three beautiful wives. They were his everything. Why was Tengen feeling as though there is a hole in his heart where Giyuu should be? Doesn't the flashy individual have enough already? Shouldn't he be satisfied?

Both of the men were confused with their feelings. They didn't know why they were feeling these things. Especially toward each other.

There was nothing they could do, though. Maybe these thoughts and emotions would go away over time. But maybe, they would keep growing until they get satisfied.

Chapter Text

Giyuu walked into his kitchen, immediately sighing. Everything that was happening was too much. It was at this point that he regretted his decision to send that letter.

Why, though? Tengen was being nice. It was as if he wanted to be Giyuu's friend. For real.

That was the point. Tengen wanted to be Giyuu's friend. Just knowing that fact made their every interaction awkward. Just looking at Tengen's face made Giyuu uncomfortable. Sure, he decided to break his promise to himself, but he was still scared of the commitment. What if everything ended badly?

Giyuu started to boil some water for the tea. He then took a deep breath, trying to focus.

Tengen had not shown any signs of abandonment or betrayal from what Giyuu had witnessed. That was good. At least Giyuu wouldn't be suffering anytime soon.

However, Giyuu was just getting to know Tengen, and Tengen was just getting to know Giyuu. What if his feelings were just an entire misunderstanding? Giyuu hadn't had a close friend in years. There was a clear possibility that he had been a lot more lonely than he thought he was, and that would be resulting in these emotions Giyuu was currently feeling.

The kettle started whistling loudly, signaling that the water was boiling. Giyuu moved the kettle to the side, putting a couple of tea leaves into it. As he waited for the flavors to set, Giyuu continued thinking.

Although he was feeling weird things for Tengen, Giyuu still didn't know why. He could come up with as many reasons as he wanted, but he would never know the answer. At least, not right now. Maybe, sometime in the future, Giyuu would find his answers. He just hoped they wouldn't negatively affect his and Tengen's relationship.

Giyuu stood there for a while. He didn't want to face Tengen with these new-found feelings. But, the man was here already, and Giyuu didn't want to turn him away so suddenly. Tengen wanted to help, after all. Sure, it was a major risk, but it was one Giyuu would have to take if he wanted his horrible life to get any better.

So, Giyuu took a deep breath. He grabbed the teapot and a couple of cups and put them on a serving tray. He then picked it up and held it firmly as he made his way back to his guest.

...

As soon as Giyuu left the room, Tengen felt oddly relieved. It was as if he was scared of being in Giyuu's house. Although, who wouldn't be in this situation? Giyuu barely spoke to anyone, let alone invite them to his house. Was this the start of a new friendship, or is this going to be the death of them both?

Maybe there was something, anything in this bland house that could keep the tall Hashira entertained for a while. Tengen soon learned that not all dreams come true, as there was absolutely nothing on any of the walls. There wasn't even a rug under the table he was sitting at. From a distance, Tengen heard water being poured and a few clicks followed after.

Seeing as there was nothing around him to work as entertainment, Tengen took the crumpled note from Giyuu out of his pocket. Rereading the letter wouldn't be a bad thing, either. The more information Tengen has and the more he understands the situation, the better. Today wasn't the day for silly mistakes.

After a few minutes of looking around and doing nothing, the soft pats of footsteps re-entered the room. When Tengen looked up, he saw the not-yet-familiar face of the man he was here to meet. Even if they were slowly becoming friends, Tengen still felt as though Giyuu's presence was strange. Perhaps the other Hashira have successfully engraved in everyone's brains that Giyuu didn't like them and wanted to stay away from them.

Something Tengen failed to notice earlier was that Giyuu's hair was no longer done the way Suma had left it. It was still down, though, letting the tall man see all of the uneven cuts that resulted in the usual spiky appearance. Looking closer, one could notice the dark circles under Giyuu's eyes.

Giyuu set a tray on the small table, sitting down afterward. He lifted the kettle and started pouring tea into one of the cups. Tengen's eyes wandered to the other's hands. His nails were all different lengths, some dangerously short, others weirdly long. The skin around most was shredded and scabbed over. Looking up, there was a particularly decent-sized scab on Giyuu's lip.

Tengen only looked away when a cup was pushed towards him.

"Aren't you going to drink any tea?" the tall man asked Giyuu.

Giyuu shook his head. "I don't particularly fancy tea. I figured you would, though."

There was an awkward silence while Tengen tried thinking of other conversation topics.

Giyuu looked away from the person in his house. He focused on his hands, instinctively starting to pick at the skin on his fingers.

Tengen reached over the small table and grabbed Giyuu's arm. "You should stop doing that. It will only make them sore tomorrow."

Giyuu looked the other in the eyes, surprised. "I didn't think you'd care..."

"I used to do it too," Tengen leaned back to his side of the table and continued, "but now Suma paints my nails, and I don't do it as much."

"Huh..." Giyuu looked away again. "I didn't take you as someone who would do such a thing."

Tengen laughed lightly. "I'm many things that people don't think I am. If that makes any sense..." There was another moment of awkward silence. "Sorry. I used to pick at my fingers when I got nervous. That's all."

"Oh..."

"With that being said, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Tengen asked hesitantly.

This singular question could make or break their entire future. This question would determine whether or not they became friends, or awkward encounters at Hashira meetings.

"Yea," Giyuu mumbled. "I just wasn't sure how to bring it up."

Tengen held out his hand. "You can hold my hand if it makes you feel better. Suma always says it does."

The quiet Hashira looked at the others hand. There was a scab on one of his fingers, proving the point that he does pick at them every now and then.

Slowly and hesitantly, Giyuu reached out his hand, placing it on Tengen's for a short while before holding it tightly. Only when Tengen's grip tightened did Giyuu look at the man's face. He took a deep breath and prepared himself.

"I was technically raised by my older sister because my parents died of an illness when I was really young... That was until she was murdered by a demon the night before her wedding." Giyuu looked away from Tengen's face. He looked down at their intertwined hands. Just thinking of speaking about this topic was enough to make Giyuu want to cry. "No one in my village believed me when I tried to tell them what happened. They thought I had gone insane. They tried to send me off when some relatives who were doctors. Before they could take me, I ran away and got lost on the mountain. I almost died, but someone found me and brought me to my master, the former Water Hashira."

A single tear ran down Giyuu's cheek.

Tengen tightened his grip on the other's hand. "I am sorry for you're loss, Tomioka."

"Please... After that, I was trained with a boy who was my age. We became the best of friends. We did everything together, even pranks on our master. He was my first real friend."

"I understand what happened. You don't have to continue if you don't want to," Tengen said gently.

Giyuu sighed. "No. I have to tell you all of it... During our Final Selection, I was struck near my eye. My friend, Sabito." Giyuu paused. It hurt to say that name again. "Sabito left me with a few others, and I passed out after begging him not to leave me. That was the last time I ever saw him..."

Tengen put his other hand on top of Giyuu's. "Are you okay? After all of this happened, and after all of these years, are you okay?"

A tear fell from Giyuu's eye. Then another. Two more. There was a constant stream of tears rolling down the man's face. He shook his head.

"Sabito died protecting me and the other slayers that week," Giyuu said quietly. "I didn't kill a single demon. I woke up after Final Selection. They handed me Sabito's shirt. That's how I found out my best friend died."

"You will get through this. I know you will."

Giyuu pulled his hand away. "What if I don't?" When Tengen didn't respond, Giyuu continued, " I see them everywhere. Everyone I meet. Everything I do. Everything I see. I always see them. I'm always reminded of them." Giyuu let out a sob. "I don't deserve to be a Hashira. Sabito would've been a lot better than me."

Tengen's gaze hardened. "Don't say that."

"What are you going to do about it? Bad-mouth me with the others?"

The tall man's eyes widened. He was at a loss for words. At least it answered his previous question. After a pause, he said, "I'm sorry. You don't deserve that. You don't deserve any of that."

"No, don't apologize." Giyuu started to panic. "You don't need to. It should be me who is apologizing. I shouldn't have brought it up... I'm sorry."

Tenged sighed. "You shouldn't apologize either, then. I don't deserve your kindness. Not after what I said. I deserve any hatred you throw my way." Giyuu lowered his head. "Just, don't say that again, please. You worked hard for everything you have. I can't even imagine how hard you've taken this. Everyone takes things differently.

The men sat in silence for a few minutes with the occasional sound of Giyuu's sobs.

"I just... I miss him so much," Giyuu whispered. "The world is cruel. It's so cruel."

Tengen held out his hand to the other. Giyuu looked at it. He then hesitantly grabbed the hand. Tengen stood up, guiding Giyuu to come with him. They walked towards the nearest wall, the taller sliding down to sit on the floor. Giyuu sat down next to him, surprised when he was embraced.

Slowly, Giyuu lifted his arms to hold the other. He leaned into the touch, letting the tears roll to the floor.

"Take your time, Tomioka. You deserve it."

Chapter Text

Tengen stood at the door, ready to leave. "Are you sure you're okay now?" It had been a few hours since their conversation, but Giyuu had only just recently started feeling better.

"I'm sure. I don't want to keep you from your wives, anyway."

The tall man shrugged and turned away. "If you say so. Send me a message whenever you need to talk again, Tomioka."

Giyuu smiled slightly. "I will."

"You should come over for lunch next Saturday! The ladies would love it, and it would give us a time to talk again."

"I'll try, Uzui," Giyuu said. Tengen took a few steps away from the estate. "Wait!"

Tengen turned around, confused. "Is there something else you need?"

Giyuu cursed himself for being so embarrassed. "Can you tell Suma that I'm sorry for telling Kocho I did my hair myself earlier today?"

The Sound Hashira laughed loudly. "Yeah, of course, Tomioka. I'll be taking my leave now. Have a good evening, and talk to me if you need anything else."

"Of course. Goodbye." Giyuu said softly.

After Tengen was out of sight, Giyuu walked back into his estate, closing the door behind him. He was proud of himself for having the conversation he had been dreading for years. Although the wounds were still open, burning when touched, Giyuu felt as though he would be able to heal, finally. And it was all thanks to his newest friend.

As the sun was beginning to set, Giyuu was getting ready to lay down for the night, hoping he was not called for a mission anytime soon.

At the same time, Tengen was arriving at his house where his three wives were waiting for him.

"Ladies, I'm home!" Tengen called.

All three of his wives were surrounding him in a matter of seconds. "Welcome home, Lord Tengen!"

Tengen opened his arms and threw them over Makio and Suma's shoulders. "My beautiful ladies, I'm sorry I left so suddenly this afternoon! You'll forgive me, right?"

Hinatsuru laughed. "We didn't mind at all, Lord Tengen. We're just glad you got back in one piece."

"Mind telling us where the hell you went, though?" Makio asked.

Tengen rolled his eyes. "Obviously! I'd never keep anything from you girls." He put his arms down and walked into the main room, taking a seat at the table in the middle of the space. "Tomioka had another breakdown earlier, and he wanted to talk about it."

"Aww, that's so sad!" Suma cried. There was already a tear forming in one of her eyes.

Hinatsuru stepped forward. "Well, is he okay?"

Tengen took a second to think about how much he should tell the women. He didn't want to spill all of Giyuu's secrets, but he didn't want to leave his wives in the dark, either. "He lost some people he really cared about in his past. I think he distances himself so that the same thing can't happen again... We had the conversation, and I only left when I was sure he wouldn't break down again."

"You're such a good man, Lord Tengen," Makio said. "At least Tomioka is okay for now."

"Makio is right!" Suma walked up and threw herself onto Tengen.

Tengen laughed at the girls. "Oh, and before I forget, I invited him over for lunch next Saturday."

"I'll make a note of that," Hinatsuru said, smiling.

...

Before they knew it, the day was here. Giyuu was supposed to meet up with Tengen for lunch. This was going to be the first time Giyuu met with anyone for lunch in a long time. The good news was that he didn't have to worry about what to wear.

Still, any social event was enough to make Giyuu's anxiety spiral. One way he coped with his anxiety was long, boiling hot showers or baths. So, at this moment, Giyuu was standing in his shower letting the water roll down his body. Every muscle. Every vein. Every scar on his body. The scabs on his fingers burned, but he would survive.

Feeling the water hit his face was relaxing. It reminded him of training under Urokodaki. Suddenly, Giyuu missed his master. And Sabito. He missed training hard and then cooling off under the waterfall. He missed his life when it was simple and filled with laughter.

Now wasn't the time for flashbacks, though. In one swift motion, the water was turned off and a towel was picked up. In a matter of minutes, Giyuu was out of his estate and walking to Tengen's. Now was probably a good time to be thankful that he didn't have any allergies because Giyuu didn't know what kind of food would be there.

...

"Tomioka! I'm glad you could make it!" Tengen exclaimed in his usual tone of voice. "Come in, come in! Suma has been bouncing around all day waiting for you!"

Giyuu looked up with a confused expression. "She has?" Tengen smiled and nodded his head. "Maybe you're mistaken, and she's excited about something else."

Tengen laughed a little. "What did we say about putting ourselves down, now? Have some faith!"

"Fine," Giyuu said with a sigh.

The two men walked through the house to the formal dining area. All three of Tengen's wives were waiting for them. The table was filled with different kinds of food. Giyuu wasn't normally the type to get excited about food, but the aroma was heavenly.

"Ladies! Our new friend is back!" Tengen said excitedly once they sat down.

Suma looked over to the new friend in question, beaming. "Mr. Tomioka! I'm so happy you're here!"

The other two women laughed. "They might not be related by blood, but I think Suma already thinks he's family," Makio whispered to the others.

If there was one thing Tengen was happier about than getting to know Giyuu, it was the fact that the girls liked him too.

"Lord Tengen," Hinatsuru tapped her husband on the arm. There was a slightly teasing expression on her face. "Maybe this is fate telling you to make him your first husband."

Tengen narrowed his eyes at Makio and Hinatsuru. "You two are plotting something, aren't you? Am I not enough man for the three of you ladies?"

"Pfft, we would never do such a thing," Makio said. "It's just that our senses have been tingling, so we want to make sure that this house is a safe space for you."

"You are lucky I love you," Tengen grumbled through gritted teeth.

In Tengen's mind, he thought the entire thing was a joke. He doubted his wives would actually think he loved someone other than them.

While Tengen was busy having a glare-off with Makio and Hinatsuru, Giyuu was busy trying not to die of both excitement and overstimulation. He was excited because one of the dishes on the table was simmered salmon with daikon. He was overstimulated because Suma was asking way too many questions. It got even worse when she noticed the scabs on his fingers.

"Oh my gosh! Mr. Tomioka! What happened to your hands?" Suma yelled, grabbing Giyuu's hand. She looked like she was about to pass out from surprise. "You poor thing! Once we eat, you should let me paint your nails and bandage your fingers. Maybe that will help you not pick at them."

Giyuu didn't know how to react to such a situation. He didn't want to take his hand away from the woman because he didn't want to seem rude. He didn't want to lie and say it was no big deal, either. "O-okay..." Giyuu silently cursed himself for giving a response without thinking.

Suma smiled at the quiet man. "Oh my gosh, really? I was just joking at first, really! But, if you actually don't mind, then of course I'll paint your nails!"

Tengen and the other wives looked over to see what Suma was yelling about. The horrified expression on Giyuu's face was more than enough to make Tengen laugh.

"Suma!" Makio yelled. "You're freaking him the fuck out!"

"What?" The sensitive girl looked closer at Giyuu's face. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to freak you out!"

Hinatsuru broke up Suma's panicked cries and Makio's angry yelling. "Girls! Both of you, calm down. This is no way to act in front of a guest." Hinatsuru turned to look at Giyuu. "Mr. Tomioka, I'm sorry for their immature behavior. If you are ready, we can start eating lunch before it gets cold."

Giyuu sat still for a moment before remembering that it was rude not to respond to a question, according to Shinobu. "Yes."

The group of friends prayed and then ate their meals happily. The table was filled with joy and laughter, and for once, Giyuu was enjoying himself in the presence of others. Although, whenever someone tried to talk to him, he looked like he had no idea what was going on and said person eventually gave up. After the lunch, Giyuu was brought to another room where Suma painted his nails and then bandaged his fingers, just as promised.

Many good memories were made that day. By the time it all ended, Giyuu wasn't sure if he wanted to go back to his estate where there was nothing to do. But, he couldn't just stay in Tengen's house and be a nuisance, so he eventually was able to say goodbye and make his way back to the place he called Hell. The place where there was nothing to do except for cry. Except this time, he was going to sleep knowing that there was someone he could talk to if he needed. Someone he could trust. Someone he might even call his friend.

Chapter Text

Giyuu gasped as he was pressed against the wall. He was silenced by a pair of lips being smashed against his own. He didn't know if he enjoyed this or not, but the alcohol in his system was telling him not to worry about it. The taller Hashira's lips moved from Giyuu's mouth, down to his chin. Kisses were trailed down to his neck.

Tengen unbuttoned Giyuu's uniform, pushing the neckline out of the way. He placed kisses on the other's collarbone, roaming his hands down the still body. One hand reached up to hold Giyuu's chin, making him look up. The other ran down to loop a few fingers around his belt, slowly undoing the buckle.

Neither of them knew why this was happening. The easy answer was alcohol mixed with sadness, but that wasn't on their minds at the moment. The only thing they were thinking about was what they would do next, as friends, trying to figure out what benefits they wanted.

...

A few hours earlier, all of the Hashira had heard the sad news that Kyojuro Rengoku had been killed in a battle against Uppermoon Three. Upon hearing this, Tengen stopped his training and took a seat on the ground. Kyojuro was his close friend. They did a lot together. The whole situation made Tengen realize that his job could be the death of him. He could be killed in a fight against an Uppermoon any day. Then what? What would his wives do? What would Giyuu do?

Hearing about the death of his best friend made Tengen want to go back inside and curl up. He wanted to wash his makeup off. He wanted to peel his nail polish off. He wanted to put on ordinary clothes. He debated on whether or not today was the day to wear his headband. Was today the day to fix his hair? Was today the day to train like nothing happened?

A few tears filled Tengen's eyes. In a flash of anger, he stood up, ripped his headband off, and threw it on the ground, shaking his head around afterward. His hair, once neatly done, fell down in front of his eyes. He curled his hands into a fist and punched the nearest target available, smashing the wood in.

Although the sun was just rising, Tengen needed to talk to someone, and he needed to talk to them immediately. Fortunately, he knew exactly who to go to. Within minutes, Tengen was knocking on Giyuu's door.

"Hey, Tomioka! Are you awake?" Tegnen called. He sounded like a mess, but his best friend just died, so he deemed it justified. He knocked a few more times. "Are you there?" Maybe he had a mission the night before. Just when Tengen was about to turn away and go back home, the door opened.

Giyuu looked up at the other, shocked to see him in such a state. Just as Tengen was a mess, Giyuu also had a solemn atmosphere about him. He was also upset about Kyojuro's passing.

"Uzui, are you okay? Are you here because of what happened?"Giyuu's voice was rough, like he had just woken up.

Tengen's usual smile was nowhere to be seen. "Could you tell?"

Giyuu narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Not to be rude, but you look like a mess. Were you two close?" He backed up to let Tengen into the estate. When the other was inside, they walked to the small table where they spoke about Giyuu's trauma.

The tall Hashira sighed and sat down. "We were close friends, yes. We used to get lunch together quite often." There was a moment of silence. "What about you? Did you ever talk to him?"

Giyuu shook his head. "He used to try, but I never responded." Tengen made a sound of acknowledgment. "I really wanted to be his friend," the quiet man said after a pause. "I wanted to be his friend, but I just never got the confidence to say anything back... He was one of the few other Hashira that was nice to me. Now that he's gone, I feel bad for never having the courage to say something to him."

Tengen placed a hand on Giyuu's shoulder. "I can assure you he never took it personally." With a smile, he reminisced about the memories of his friend. "He was the type of person to talk to anyone, even if he knew they didn't like him. He used to talk to demons, for fucks sake!"

The quiet Hashira smiled. "That reassures me a little." The two sat in silence for a while, praying for their colleague. Giyuu looked up at the man in front of him. "Would you like something to drink?"

"If you have any, I'd like your strongest alcohol."

"I have some," Giyuu said. "Follow me. You look tired, so I'll bring you to my room."

Tengen smiled. "Alcohol and I get to sleep in your bed? Today must be my lucky day."

Giyuu ignored the joke almost completely. The two of them got up from their seats and started making their way around the estate. The lack of furniture made the building feel even bigger. After obtaining the drink, they continued their way through the building. With a few twists and turns, they eventually made it to the room Giyuu called his bedroom. It was completely empty except for the half-made futon in the middle of the room.

"Make yourself at home."

Tengen looked at the other, feeling a little bad for him. "You should let me help you decorate your estate, Tomioka. This is a little sad."

Giyuu squinted at Tengen. "What's that supposed to mean? My estate has everything essential for my survival. It doesn't need anything else."

"If you say so," Tengen said, shrugging. He took a seat on Giyuu's futon while the other opened the bottle of alcohol, handing it over.

...

Over the next few hours, the men laughed and cried while talking about their lost comrade. They drank and laughed, and then they drank and cried. They each told stories about situations they were in with Kyojuro. Some were happy, some were sad.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, the men were drunk. The bottle of alcohol was gone, having been discarded on the floor a while ago. There was a sliding door in the room that had been opened so they could view the outside during their conversation.

Finally, after hours, Tengen got up and started walking towards the door. Giyuu also stood up, following the other.

"Uzui," Giyuu's words were slurred because of all the alcohol he drank, even though he didn't drink anywhere near as much as the other did. "What are you doing?"

Tengen was slowly making his way over to the door. "The sun has made it all the way up, now, so I'm closing the door. It's way too bright." His words were also slurred. "And, I want to tell you a secret."

Giyuu looked at the other, confused. "Why would you tell me a secret now of all times?"

Once the door was shut, Tengen turned around and walked back over to Giyuu. "Believe it or not," he whispered," Rengoku and I were friends with benefits..."

It took a second to register the words, but once he did, Giyuu's eyes widened. "What?"

"Why are you so surprised? You know what that is, right?" Tengen asked with a smirk on his face.

Rolling his eyes, the other replied, "Of course, I know what friends with benefits are. I'm twenty-one years old and lonely, not stupid." Tengen laughed. "I'm just surprised you would do that, having three wives and all."

"Don't worry," the taller reassured," they knew about it. Sometimes they even joined in on the fun."

The two of them held eye contact for a second before Tengen impulsively grabbed Giyuu and pushed him against the wall.

...

Of course, Giyuu knew what sex was. He was an adult. An adult who was old enough to drink, that is. Even if his master hadn't sat him down and told him about puberty and sex education, Giyuu would still probably know what sex was. Having sex was a different story, though. Giyuu had never even dreamed of undressing a girl, let alone undressing himself for a guy.

"U-Uzui," Giyuu said with a shaky voice. "What are you doing?"

Tengen's hand eventually managed to get Giyuu's belt off. "I'm taking my chances."

The taller's breath smelled like alcohol, but it wasn't a bother. Giyuu was too busy trying not to react to the slight touches he was making on his lower stomach. Instead of saying something, though, Giyuu let his drunken curiosity get the better of him. He wanted to see just how far Tengen would go if he let him.

Tengen's free hand started messing with the waistline of Giyuu's pants, slowly managing to pull them down to his knees. Giyuu felt exposed in a way he never had before. He didn't know how he felt. He didn't know how he should feel. The hand left his body, only to be replaced by a kiss on the jawline. Tengen let go of Giyuu completely in order to take off his own belt, sliding down his pants slightly.

When Giyuu saw the size of the other's cock, his soul almost left his body. He should've known Tengen's dick was huge. Tengen himself is huge. The thought just never crossed Giyuu's mind.

"Are you sure that's going to fit?" Giyuu asked, a little scared. He finished taking his pants off, praying he had made the right decision.

Tengen laughed a little, picking the other up and pressing him against the wall once more. "Of course, it will. I can make just about anything fit when I want to."

Their lips crashed together again. Giyuu had no idea what he was doing, so he followed the other's lead. At some point, Tengen pulled away and shoved a few fingers into Giyuu's mouth, playing with his tongue a bit as a tease.

"What was that for?" Giyuu asked, putting a hand over his mouth.

Tengen smiled. "It was for fun. Also, you might want to keep your hand there, and tighten your legs so you don't fall."

"Why would I need to do that-"

Giyuu was cut off when Tengen put his wet fingers into him. He put one hand over his mouth and the other around Tengen's neck. When his fingers started moving, Giyuu looked up, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face.

Two fingers weren't enough to get anything out of the quiet man, so Tengen added a third. He was met with a slow exhale. With a little more wiggling, Giyuu finally let out a little squeak of a moan.

"That's what I like to hear," Tengen grumbled with a smirk.

He removed his fingers from the man pressed against him. He then used his newly freed hand to guide his dick to the right place. Slowly, he let go of Giyuu, dropping him onto his cock.

Giyuu barely managed to restrain the sound threatening to slip out before he was lifted back up and dropped again. This time, another moan slipped, even though the thrusting process hurt.

Slowly, the thrusts got faster, and it was easier for Tengen to go in and out. When the thrusts were faster and harder, Giyuu's moans got louder and longer.

"Fuck," Tengen let out an airy breath. "You feel so nice, Tomioka."

Giyuu moaned. Whether or not it was because of the thrusting or because Tengen said he felt nice was a mystery.

"It feels embarrassing to moan this loudly, Uzui," Giyuu said between moans.

Tengen laughed at the other, thrusting a little harder and deeper. A loud moan escaped from Giyuu's lips, and he shot a glare at Tengen.

"If it makes you feel better, the girls are all a lot louder... And I like hearing you moan." He purposely thrust harder again.

"Uzui!" Giyuu moaned loudly.

Tengen groaned. "That one was good."

The tall Hashira continued thrusting, his dick getting harder with each one. Giyuu moaned at the feeling of the cock inside him getting bigger. The hand that was previously covering his mouth moved down to cover his own dick.

"Uzui," the moan was airy and filled with desperation. "I'm about to come..."

Tengen leaned into the other's ear, whispering, "Do it."

"But," Giyuu moaned, "what about," he moaned again, "your uniform shirt?" There were tears forming in his eyes at this point.

Tengen rolled his eyes. "You big baby."

The Sound Hashira pulled out of Giyuu and picked him up. He then walked over to the futon on the ground and placed the man in his arms onto it. The break from the thrusts gave Giyuu a moment to catch his breath, slowly coming down from his high.

While Giyuu was taking a breather, Tengen was pulling his shirt and pants off completely. He ran his hands through his hair one last time. When he was finally ready, was made his way back to Giyuu and pushed him down to lie flat on his back. Tengen used his hands to spread the other's legs, slightly lifting him up to get a better angle.

When Tengen thrusted back into Giyuu, he went a lot deeper than he had previously. The new position also allowed for faster and rougher thrusts.

Tengen put his hands on Giyuu's hips and slammed into him as hard as he could. In response, the bottom nearly screamed, his hands flying up to cover his mouth. The tears that were once in his eyes fell down his face.

The taller pulled almost all the way out, only to slam back into Giyuu immediately, earning another loud moan.

"Uzui," Giyuu gasped as Tengen was in the process of pulling out again. He screamed again when he was thrust into. "I'm gonna-"

Giyuu screamed as he orgasmed when Tengen rammed into him. The substance squirted onto the Sound Hashira's chest. The massive man didn't slow down, however. If anything, he started thrusting faster.

"Already?" Tengen asked with a laugh. "I hope you know we aren't stopping anytime soon."

Giyuu could've sworn he could feel the blood in his dick start pulsing. He didn't have time to think anything of it, though, because he was too busy screaming and getting hard again.

"S-slow down!" Giyuu begged the taller Hashira on top of him.

Tengen was enjoying himself, and he could tell Giyuu was, too, despite his words. "Go faster? With pleasure!"

Giyuu's back arched until he felt like it was about to break. He was losing his mind. Fucking Tengen felt like heaven and hell at the same time. A few more tears fell. Suddenly, the man hit a spot inside Giyuu that made him moan louder than he had been. If the previous moan was a scream, Giyuu didn't know what this one was.

His hands went from his mouth to lay his muscular arms across his eyes, turning his head to the side. A little saliva dripped from the corner of Giyuu's mouth, but he was too busy screaming, moaning, and crying to notice. Before he knew it, his next release had already come and gone.

Finally, after two more ejaculations for Giyuu, Tengen started slowing down. He was still really fast, but he had slowed down his thrusting to an extent that Giyuu could feel the change.

"God, fuck," Tengen groaned. "Tomioka, in or out?"

Giyuu moaned, barely able to catch his breath. "I-I don't care."

With a few more thrusts, Tengen released into the man, letting out a low moan. At the same time, Giyuu also came, adding to the mess in the other's chest.

The two men stayed in their positions for a moment before Tengen pulled out and rolled over onto the floor beside the futon. He reached over and grabbed his uniform shirt, wiping away the mess on his chest. Then, he and Giyuu arranged themselves into positions where they would both somewhat fit onto the small bed, quickly knocking out afterward.

They were too tired to do any real cleaning or talking. Maybe that's what drunken sex does to people. To Friends. Who officially have benefits.

Chapter Text

When Giyuu woke up, Tengen was gone.

...

Giyuu slowly sat up from the futon, which he was now lying in the middle of. Everything in his bedroom was the same except for the lack of Tengen and his clothes, which were previously on the ground. Giyuu's heart sank, and he immediately started to panic.

He was still undressed, vulnerable to the chilly air and the eyes of the emptiness and quiet. The friend he let touch his body in inappropriate ways was nowhere to be seen. The friend Giyuu opened up to was gone. Any hopes of a happy future had disappeared.

Giyuu calmed himself, going over the breathing exercise Tengen taught him. Surely he didn't leave me after what happened, right? Giyuu thought. Not after what we did. What we shared.

The quiet man got off of his futon and grabbed his haori, wrapping it around him tightly. His legs hurt; they were insanely sore. The pain reminded him of when he first started training to become a demon slayer. It reminded him of how he initially felt a few hours ago, drunk and letting things happen on their own. It reminded him of how tightly he was hanging onto Tengen while the man completely destroyed his insides.

Giyuu couldn't tell himself that what they did didn't feel good. He also couldn't tell himself that he was okay. That he was stable, mentally or physically. That he could move on with his evening. That the absence of Tengen Uzui didn't destroy him in all ways possible.

The quiet man walked to the door of his bedroom and opened it slowly. Maybe he's just in a different room. There's no way he would leave me like this... he thought.

Giyuu wandered slowly through his estate. He went down the halls, into empty rooms that he didn't know the purpose of. He traveled to the main seating area where he and Tengen sat when they spoke about Giyuu's issues. There was no sign of a tall man. One that Giyuu was disappointed in finding attractive. Especially at this point, when he couldn't find him.

Against his will, tears started pricking the corners of Giyuu's eyes. There was no other place he could look. His estate was too empty to play hide and seek in. Tengen was not in the building. He was gone. He was gone, and he would regret it later.

Giyuu walked into the kitchen, hoping and praying that Tengen was there. Hoping that Tengen wasn't listening to the fifty times Giyuu called his name in a panic.

It was no surprise that the loud man wasn't there. Giyuu wasn't expecting him to be. Giyuu hated himself for thinking that this friendship, or whatever his relationship with Tengen was, would actually last. He hated himself for having faith that his life could change. That Tengen Uzui of all people would want to be his friend. He was probably telling all of the Hashira about how stupid Giyuu was...

Giyuu's blood was boiling. He was livid.

He leaned on his kitchen counter, tightly gripping the edge.

Tears rolled down Giyuu's face. They wouldn't stop. He didn't try to make them. Thoughts spiraled through his head. All of his insecurities. All of the things he thought he was getting over. They all came back.

Giyuu was gripping the counter so hard that his knuckles were turning white. His sadness turned into frustration. His frustration turned into rage. He felt betrayed.

The normally calm man grabbed the nearest glass and slammed it onto the ground. "Fuck!" he yelled. He was breathing heavily, his tears still consistently streaming down his face.

Giyuu looked around quickly, looking for something else to get his hands on. He had never been so angry in his life. Even the time when he first met Tanjiro Kamado didn't compare to now.

Giyuu grabbed a plate, imagined Tengen's face on it, and threw it to the ground, cutting his finger in the process. Words couldn't describe how angry he was. He stomped back into the main seating area, kicking the table over on his way through the room.

He walked through his house, knocking over(and breaking) anything he saw on his way to his bedroom. Once he got there, he pulled on his pants, not bothering with his shirt. He was still angry, just not as much as he previously was. He still wanted Tengen's head on a platter.

It was weird to Giyuu, being as angry as he was. He was used to loss, being sad, and being abandoned; however, he had never experienced anger that was on par with Sanemi Shinazugawa's. Giyuu had never walked through his estate and purposely thrown things with the intent to break them.

Giyuu sighed plopping down onto his futon. He never knew being angry could be so exhausting.

All at once, the tears came flooding back. Giyuu held his head in his hands, his elbows propped on his knees.

I need to get my life together, Giyuu thought, as he cried once more.

...

Somewhere in a nearby town, Tengen was at a vendor stall buying Giyuu simmered salmon with daikon. He had no idea what was going on in the Water Hashira's estate at the moment.

A couple of hours earlier, Tengen woke up beside Giyuu with a splitting headache. He had been pushed off of the futon, mostly on the floor. When he sat up, he looked towards Giyuu, who was knocked out, his hair lying still on his muscly body.

The quiet man looked mesmerizing, Tengen actually slightly jealous of his looks. Curious to see if he was awake, Tengen nudged the other. There was no response, so he got off the floor. He walked around the sleeping Giyuu, picking his clothes off of the ground and putting them back on.

Tengen then walked through the estate, a place he had gotten used to. He found the bathroom, taking his time to fix his hair.

As the minutes passed, Giyuu slept. He was still breathing, so Tengen wasn't concerned. However, he was very bored. That was when he decided to go out and get Giyuu his favorite food, something to surprise him with when he eventually woke up.

Now, Tengen was in a nearby town, walking around with a to-go box with simmered salmon with daikon in it. While looking for the particular vendor, he saw other merchants, probably travelers, selling various items.

There were fox-inspired face masks, something Tengen had seen in Giyuu's estate but never asked about. There were fancy vases, something he couldn't help but spend a few thousand yen on. There were paintings, many of which were of ocean waves. Tengen bought a few of those, and even a copy of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, one of his personal favorites.

He had to refrain himself, though. Struggling to look away from all of the flamboyant merchandise, Tengen walked through the town, making his way back to Giyuu's estate.

The walk was long and annoying, Tengen eventually becoming mad at himself for buying so many things. Eventually, he made it back to the Water Estate; however, the aura of the building was off. He had this feeling that something was wrong. With his acute hearing, he could hear faint sobs. When he walked into the estate, it became clear to him that Giyuu was the one crying.

Tengen walked farther into the estate, putting his bags down when he saw the flipped table in the seating area. He walked down the hall, looking into the kitchen on his way. He noticed glass on the floor, a drop of blood on the counter.

Panic set in Tengen's body. Deep down, he knew that Giyuu was okay. He could hear the man crying. The reason he was panicking was the state of the house.

Tengen quickly made his way down the hall, bursting into the bedroom. Giyuu was fine, as he thought, but he was still crying.

...

When Tengen made his entrance, Giyuu's crying abruptly stopped. The tall man slowly came closer to Giyuu.

"Tomioka, are you okay?" he asked slowly.

Giyuu couldn't keep himself from gritting his teeth. His anger resurfaced. As soon as Tengen was close enough, Giyuu turned and punched him in the stomach.

The taller man breathed in quickly, surprised by the hostility. "What the fuck was that for?" he coughed out, horrifically confused.

Giyuu stood up. "What do you mean 'what the fuck was that for'? What do you think it was for?"

Neither of the men were in control of their words.

Chapter Text

Giyuu and Tengen were in a heated argument. It hurt. Their words hurt each other. Giyuu wanted to stop, but he couldn't. He was too mad.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Giyuu yelled. "Why would you just leave like that?"

Tengen scoffed, offended that the other was blaming him for something that was a misunderstanding. "Don't yell at me like that, Tomioka! You were asleep. I didn't know you were going to wake up and lose your shit when you noticed I wasn't here."

Tears were streaming down Giyuu's face. He felt betrayed in the worst way possible. "I trusted you!"

"I want you to tell me what I did and how it was so bad!" Tengen argued back. "How the hell is everything my fault? Have you considered how I feel about this?"

The relationship that they had been slowly building was all crumbling apart.

Giyuu was seeing red, his anger in full control of his body and mind. "Don't you dare try to turn this around. You aren't listening to me!"

"I don't want to listen to you if all you're going to do is yell at me."

"Just shut the fuck up for a second! You left me, knowing how I am! I'm upset at you because I thought you left with the intention to never return!"

Tengen looked at the hysterical man in front of him. "How is any of that my problem?"

The look he received was one fighting back the urge to murder Tengen. "Are you that stupid?" Giyuu walked closer to the man he had willingly embraced just hours before. "You dumbass!" he yelled, punching Tengen in the nose, possibly breaking it.

"Fuck!" the taller man yelped, stumbling back.

He stood still for a moment, thoughts spiraling through his head. When he looked back up at his friend, there was something about him that was different. Giyuu was looking at the ground, his disposition screaming sadness rather than anger now.

Tengen slowly moved closer to Giyuu, hoping that he could get close enough to him to see what was wrong without being attacked again.

Giyuu saw the taller man coming, and his expression was pitiful. "Please, leave me alone. I don't deserve your kindness or your friendship, especially after today."

The taller Hashira wouldn't be fooled so easily with words. He got close enough and quickly embraced the other. "Calm your ass down and talk to me like the grown man you are."

Giyuu stayed still for a moment, registering everything that was happening around him. Instantly his anger vanished, leaving him with the guilt and pain that he had originally felt when he had woken up. He completely broke down, essentially becoming a puddle of sadness for others to jump in.

He embraced Tengen back, grateful that there was at least someone in the world he could turn to.

"I'm so sorry..." Giyuu whispered. He regretted everything he said and did, but he couldn't take any of it back.

Tengen sighed, "No, I should be sorry to you. I should have thought about the consequences of my actions before I went along with them." Giyuu held on tight, his tears like waterfalls. "Take your time to calm down, and then we can talk about what happened."

...

After who knows how long, Giyuu finally calmed down enough to speak. He had been crying on Tengen's shoulder for a while now, holding onto him tightly as they sat on the disheveled futon. Tengen was holding him the way he did Suma when she was sad, running his fingers up and down his back in similar patterns.

"Are you ready to speak now, Tomioka?" Tengen asked quietly. When there was no response, he continued, "You don't have to if you're not ready yet."

Giyuu sat up and sniffed, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "No, I'm ready.

As the two got into a better position to talk, Giyuu was internally hyping himself up. They sat quietly in an awkward silence that neither of them liked.

"Let me start," Tengen said. He took a deep breath. "I am sorry for leaving you without waking you up and telling you first. I did not think any of this would happen."

Giyuu shook his head. "Please don't apologize, I was the one who wrecked my estate and almost broke your nose because of my emotions." Tengen snickered at the sentence. "What are you laughing for?"

Smiling, he responded, "Nothing, Tomioka."

For the first time in forever, Giyuu gave a full smile. There was no question about what it was. "I think maybe I overreacted because I'm glad to finally have someone that I can talk to again. I just didn't want it to end as suddenly as I thought it did." A single tear slid down his cheek, reminiscing about Sabito.

The chat was short but sweet. The two men were awkward for most of it, but they apologized and explained their points of view, clearing up many of the misunderstandings. They talked about random things, as well.

Later on, they walked around the estate, cleaning the messes that were made. Tengen patched up the cut on Giyuu's finger, which had started bleeding again. They looked through the paintings Tengen bought, talking about where to put them. To end the night, the taller Hashira sat with Giyuu as he ate his now cold simmered salmon with daikon.

After the two made up, the rest of the day flew by. Before they knew it, Tengen was being called for a mission with his wives.

Reluctantly, Giyuu said goodbye to his friend, apologizing once more for the inconvenience he caused. The day caused scars that would be with them for the rest of their friendship, but at least they were still friends. Friends that were going to take a break from their benefits and be just friends.

Chapter Text

A few days had passed since Tengen returned from his mission. He stopped by Giyuu's estate now and then to have a short chat and to check up on him, but they hadn't spent a lot of time together since that day. To be honest, Tengen wasn't sure how to.

Ever since their fight, there's been an awkward tension between the two friends. They didn't hate each other, but it was clear that they didn't love each other either. However, without the knowledge of each other's feelings, both of the men yearned for the familiar touch.

While on his mission, Tengen had a long conversation with his wives, specifically Hinatsuru. God, he loved her, and both of the others. Hinatsuru got him through the time easily, as though she had done that before.

With her guidance, Tengen wrote and sent letters to Giyuu, as well as met with him face-to-face. They talked and they healed. Now, they were about to meet in town to have lunch together. As friends. And they weren't going to talk about the night they both wished didn't exist.

Tengen was a bit away from the restaurant where they were supposed to meet. He did his research and specifically chose the place because he found that it had simmered salmon with daikon, Giyuu's favorite dish. He knew from experience that the best way to cheer someone up was with their favorite food.

As Tengen walked, he examined the different stores and merchant stalls. Surely there was something here that he could take Giyuu to. Just to butter him up and fix their relationship. Walking along, there was nothing flashy enough to catch his eye. In that case, there was nothing worthy to be seen by Giyuu either.

When Tengen finally made it to the restaurant, he was happy to see that Giyuu actually showed up. The tall man had been scared that his friend wouldn't be ready to meet in public yet, and he wasn't so sure he was either. Not only did their faces open recently closed wounds, but there was always the risk that one of their co-workers would see them.

The sight of Giyuu's long hair and mismatched haori felt like a punch in the gut, something Tengen knew all too well. Although he tried not to, he couldn't keep his mind from wandering, imagining the other with his clothes off. Reliving the moments when he was moaning, screaming, crying— and even the moments when he came. Tengen remembered the feeling of the warm liquid sliding down his chest and stomach.

Meeting Giyuu face-to-face was different than meeting Kyojuro after a steamy night. With his old friend, Tengen wouldn't think of their inappropriate actions because they only engaged in them when they were both horny. There were no feelings involved, so there were no issues after the night was over. It was all fun and games, and his wives occasionally joined in. All together, he and Kyojuro were true friends with benefits, and the entire situation felt more like a game than a relationship.

With Giyuu, though, he couldn't stop thinking about what they did. He wanted more, to never stop, and to break every bone in the quiet man's body, just to glue them back together with his own cum. He wanted to make the man who never spoke scream. He wanted to try every position he knew of fifty times over, and then relive that night for the rest of eternity.

By the time Tengen got next to the man, the bulge in his pants was very noticeable.

Sometimes, he felt bad about having fun with people other than his wives, but then he remembered all the times they joined in. Every time, they would gang up on Kyojuro, testing new things. Suma's first time ever using a strap, Makio screaming at her for having barely any hip strength, and eventually taking over.

"Hey, Tomioka!" the taller man said enthusiastically. He was genuinely happy to see the other, something Giyuu wasn't sure he was used to yet.

Giyuu turned to face who he hoped was still his friend, being caught off guard immediately due to the sight of his pants. "Oh."

Tengen knew instantly what the man was talking about and didn't need to see his face for clarification. "Don't mind that, just a small issue. Are you ready for lunch?"

The Water Hashira took a small pause, the sight of Tengen's hard dick bringing back certain memories. "On second thought, I'm not very hungry right now..." The other's face fell, visibly disappointed. "Do you want to go back to my place? I actually have groceries for once."

"Tomioka..." Tengen was upset. Not because of his body, but because he had been looking forward to his outing with Giyuu for some time. "I promise it's not a big deal." His arms were crossed, adding to his disappointed look. He was almost embarrassed.

Giyuu quietly sighed. "I know you were looking forward to this, but..." There was a short pause before he continued, "I would hate for you to have a bad public image. You shouldn't be walking around a small town like this, especially since it's not far from headquarters. Please, just come back to my estate with me."

The real reason Giyuu wanted to leave wasn't because of Tengen's boner. It was because of his own. It was because the sight of the dick that was once inside of him, though now covered, was enough to bring the feelings back. It was as if he were living the moment again. He had thought being fucked on the wall was heaven on earth before they moved to the futon. Asking to go back to his home was just Giyuu's innocent way of trying his hardest to get laid.

It was Tengen's turn to sigh. "Tomioka, I'm not dumb. I have three wives. I know what you're trying to do." Both of the men were quiet for a time. "We really shouldn't do anything we might regret later."

Giyuu took a breath and looked down to hide his face. It took all of his courage to walk closer to his friend. To lightly trace a finger down the other's arm, interlocking their fingers.

"I don't regret anything from that day except my own childish actions." He looked back up at the taller man. "That was the first day in eight years that I've actually felt alive."

Tengen felt torn, the rope connecting temptation and reason on the verge of snapping. He desperately wanted to take up his friend's offer— especially since he knew what they had was special to Giyuu— but he also wanted to stay distant. He didn't want to ruin what they had both worked so hard to rebuild. Again. However, deep down, he knew that moment was an obstacle they wouldn't run into a second time.

The Sound Hashira let go of the other's hand, quickly replacing it with his wrist.

Giyuu was slightly shocked, temporarily scared that he would be left there. He looked up to meet the taller man's gaze.

"Let's go then," Tengen said. "You started this problem, so you're gonna fix it." With his other hand, he motioned towards his pants before pulling Giyuu away from the restaurant.

The walk back was uncomfortable for both of them. The men felt like they were stepping on eggshells without the secrecy. A better analogy would be starving wolves forced to wait for the time to strike. It was unbearable. The occasional disgusted glances from passersby didn't help, either.

As soon as they set foot in the water estate, the men were glued together by the lips. With every step down the hallway, another item of clothing was removed. They were grinding onto each other, each small touch releasing infinite amounts of satisfaction. After what felt like a lifetime, they crashed onto Giyuu's futon, right back where their problems started.

Giyuu was lying on his back, completely focused on unbuttoning the other's uniform shirt. His fingers fumbled a few times because of his excitement. Meanwhile, Tengen was doing the same thing, leaving a trail of kisses over any exposed skin he could get his lips on.

"I swear, Tomioka, if you-"

"Giyuu."

Tengen backed up from the other's body for a second. "What?"

The quiet Hashira looked at his friend with a longing that couldn't be described with words. "I think we should be on a first-name basis, seeing as you're about to fuck the shit out of me for the second time."

With a chuckle, it all clicked in Tengen's mind at once. "Well then, in that case, it's 'Lord Tengen' for you from now on."

"Quit the talking and fuck me like you do your wives, Lord Tengen."

"Woah, now!" Each item of clothing melted off easier than the last. "I fuck my wives with the intention to breed, Giyuu." Tengen leaned down to get right next to the other's ear. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Giyuu grabbed the other man's jaw and pulled him into a hard kiss. It was a kiss full of sin— lust. All he wanted was to be touched.

Both now completely bare, Tengen put a knee between Giyuu's legs, slowly rubbing against his dick. Soft moans escaped from his lips, his head leaning deeper into his pillow. Tengen trailed a line of kisses from Giyuu's bottom lip down to his chest.

In a mass of pants, Giyuu sat up and finally responded, "I couldn't be more ready to have you dripping down my legs."

"That's all I needed to hear."

Almost as fast as a sound wave itself, Giyuu was slammed back down, his back slightly arched. Tengen took a second to spit in his hand, rubbing the liquid across his throbbing length; he circled the excess around the other's hole in an attempt to get him prepared. The bigger man then used one hand to position himself and the other to hold Giyuu still.

It took all of three minutes for Tengen to be halfway in.

It didn't take long after that for the bare room to be filled with erratic breathing.

The Sound Hashira wasted no time in finding a steady rhythm. The men's bodies melted together instantly, like they were made for each other. With every rough thrust, there was an echo of a soft moan and the jingle of Tengen's jeweled headband.

The feeling was better than either of them had remembered. They felt like horny teenagers having sex for the first time. Giyuu, going against everything his mind was telling him, reached up and wrapped his muscular arms around his friend's neck, sloppily kissing him. In slight retaliation, the thrusts became faster.

Neither of the Hashira was thinking. Lips met lips, followed by skin. Eventually, the comfortable silence was shattered by a loud yelp. Out of nowhere, Giyuu came due to a sudden pressure on what he assumed was his prostate. His eyes widened as a moan escaped his mouth, and his legs subconsciously tensed up. For a few seconds, all he felt was pain.

Tengen's pace faultered temporarily, but it was only long enough to register what had happened. Once he knew his friend was alright, he continued his thrusting. On purpose, the taller man lightly pressed into the sensitive spot over and over again. It was the perfect amount of pressure to drive Giyuu insane.

As his moans became louder, the Water Hashira's mind began to wander.

One of the reasons he gave in to Tengen so easily was because of the uncanny resemblance he had to Sabito. From the way he spoke to the depths of his personality, Tengen reminded Giyuu so much of his beloved friend; however, it was now impossible to see the two as one. Giyuu loved Sabito more than he loved himself, but he never would've done with him the things he was doing now.

Back in the present, a tear rolled down the normally quiet man's cheek. He couldn't tell if it was because of his thoughts or the blissful mixture of pleasure and pain he was currently feeling. One tear turned into two, and two tears turned into a thin stream. To avoid attention, Giyuu moved his arms from the other's neck down to his back. The action pulled Tengen down slightly, the jewels once again dangling in Giyuu's face.

Becoming annoyed with the distraction, the bigger man grabbed the accessory and pulled it off his head. In one motion, the headband swapped owners. The sudden movement caused Giyuu to fall back onto his futon. The tears that had once decorated his face had dried quickly, and all that remained was the sheen of their leftovers and his sweat.

Tengen sat back up, the position change helping him to thrust deeper. He looked down at the man below him, the man he called his friend. Nothing more, nothing less. It was quite the sight to behold; just as otherworldly as he remembered.

Giyuu was lying on his back, which was ever so slightly arched, and the jeweled headband was splayed across his face. His breathing was anything but controlled, and his eyes were rolled upwards. His arms were above his head, begging to be tied together. No words could explain the look on his face.

The Sound Hashira couldn't help himself.

"You should look into getting one of those headbands for yourself, Giyuu. It suits you well." The other tried to respond, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a powerful thrust replaced his words with a loud moan. A smirk made its way onto Tengen's face. "I don't know what you were about to say, but you know there's only one thing I want to hear."

"I..." Giyuu quickly took a breath in, trying not to scream at the increase in pace. "I need you to go deeper, Lord Tengen."

The top coughed out a laugh. "You sure know how to make a man happy, you slut."

Tengen moved one of his hands from Giyuu's hip to the quiet man's throbbing cock, lightly stroking it with his index finger. The motion immediately granted a reaction. Giyuu's arm quickly flew to the other's teasing hand, but it didn't try to stop Tengen. The arm hovered above its owner's dick, as though Giyuu himself didn't know if he loved or hated what was happening to him.

Slowly, the arm descended to Giyuu's side and rested on the futon. His hand clutched the bed sheets tightly in an attempt to compose himself.

After a few loud minutes of teetering on the edge, Tengen's grunts became more audible. His body became stiff, but his thrusting wasn't any weaker than it had been before.

"Fuck, Tengen..." Giyuu tried to speak between his pants and loud moans. It seemed impossible. "I'm gonna..."

Tengen stopped stroking the leaking dick and instead covered its tip with his thumb.

"No." His voice was harsh; it was very different from how he normally spoke to Giyuu. "You don't get to do anything until I let you." The look he got was nothing short of astonishment. "You wanted to be treated like my wives, so I'm treating you like my wives."

With a few more thrusts, Tengen let go of Giyuu's cock, and moved his now-free hand to press down on the bottom's stomach. At the same time, he released inside the man.

Giyuu, on the other hand, practically screamed at the feeling. Not only did he have his own orgasm, but he could feel Tengen's as well. Every twitch, every press of his stomach. He could feel everything, and he loved it.

After a few seconds of being tense, Giyuu relaxed his back and brought his hands to his face to move the accessory. He then dragged his fingers through his hair as he caught his breath, still feeling Tengen inside of him. Just as he thought Tengen was pulling out, there was another harsh thrust that he couldn't keep from replying to.

"Surely you didn't think we were done now, did you?"